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Sport Fish and Wildlife
Restoration and
Associated Grant
Programs
Program Update September 2006
Including a Special Highlight Section
of the Mountain-Prairie Region
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Table of
Contents
Comments from Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration Programs.................................................................................................................1
Comments from Mitch King, Regional Director, Region 6....................................................3
News Section..............................................................................................................................5
Staff Directory, Federal Assistance, Washington, D.C. Office............................................8
Federal Assistance Program – Overview...............................................................................9
Focus on Specific Programs and Activities..........................................................................10
Landowner Incentive Program..............................................................................10
State Wildlife Grants...............................................................................................10
FY 2007 National Coastal Wetlands Grant Program.........................................11
Boating Infrastructure Grant Program...............................................................11
Clean Vessel Act Grant Program Being Evaluated.............................................12
State Audits...............................................................................................................14
FAIM/FBMS.............................................................................................................14
Multistate Conservation Grant Program.............................................................15
Western Native Trout Initiative............................................................................15
International Instream Flow Program Initiative..............................................15
Sage-Grouse Interstate Working Group...............................................................15
The National Federal Assistance Training Program.........................................15
National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation...16
Special Highlight Section of Mountain-Prairie Region.................................................... 21
September 2006
Since joining the Federal Assistance
program this spring, I am renewing
long-standing partnerships and forming
new relationships with supporters of
the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
Programs. I am truly impressed with the
complexity of our mission and with the
wide support we enjoy from our partners.
This Update provides a detailed report on
the myriad of projects and their progress
toward achieving Program goals and
further highlight the marvelous job
that the Federal Assistance is doing to
encourage and foster partnerships. The
key word is “partnership.” Partners are
becoming increasingly more important
and integral to restoring and enhancing
fish and wildlife and the habitats upon
which they depend.
Prime examples are found in
the challenges of implementing
approved State Wildlife Action Plans.
Implementation will require not only the
concerted effort of the States and the
Service, but also a willingness to seek
out and secure the support from new
partners. There are no boundaries on the
partners that can and will be interested
in cooperative conservation. Help from
the conservation community, from
members of industry and manufacturing
firms, from scientists and academicians
will be necessary. The skill sets from the
traditional disciplines of natural resource
management will be brought to bear
on solving the identified conservation
challenges in these Plans, as well as new
talents needed to inform and engage the
public in restoration plans and to monitor
and track successes.
In the spirit of encouraging cooperative
conservation, the Federal Assistance
Program is helping to raise the visibility
of approved plans, both within the
Service as well as with other Federal
Agencies. We welcome a wide distribution
and application of the State Wildlife
Action Plans to provide traditional and
future cooperators with opportunities
to assist in meeting Statewide and
regional goals and to leverage limited
resources to reach common goals. The
synergy is exciting to contemplate and
we are committed to facilitating such new
opportunities.
In the spirit of fostering cooperative
conservation through the grant
programs funded through the Wildlife
and Sport Fish Restoration Programs,
we are setting the stage for preparing a
Strategic Plan for the Wildlife and Sport
Fish Restoration Programs. We will
explore new ways to create efficiencies
in delivery, and to enhance confidence in
(and support for) the quality of grants
management in the Service. We look
forward to providing a road map to the
future for the Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration Programs––a road map that
benefits from diverse perspectives, fresh
ideas and deliberative suggestions.
I sincerely look forward to meeting the
challenges of cooperative conservation
through the Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration Programs. Let me start on
that path by welcoming you to engage
with us by taking in the accomplishments
we proudly display in this Program
Update. I look forward to hearing
the thoughts and ideas that come to
mind as you consider these Programs,
their delivery and their contributions
to benefiting sport fish and wildlife
resources.
Comments from
Assistant Director
for Sport Fish
and Wildlife
Restoration
Programs
Rowan Gould
facing page photo: Wineinger-Davis Ranch,
Lincoln County, Colorado
September 2006
This edition of the Federal Assistance
Program Update highlights the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service’s Mountain-Prairie
Region which includes the States of
Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and
Wyoming. This Region contains a diverse
variety of habitats and landscapes
which capture the mind and soul of the
observer. The Region stretches from the
banks of the Missouri River west to the
desert border of Utah, from the prairies
of Kansas north to the Canadian border
of North Dakota and Montana. The
Region contains such beauty as captured
in “America the Beautiful” written by
Katharine Lee Bates in 1893 while on a
trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado, from
the top of Pike’s Peak. She said, “All the
wonder of America seemed displayed
there, with the sea-like expanse.” The
view was so beautiful that it inspired
her to write the song that is considered
by some to be the country’s unofficial
national anthem. Remember the
words, “Oh beautiful for spacious skies,
for amber waves of grain, for purple
mountains majesty above the fruited
plains…” this is the Mountain-Prairie
Region.
The Region encompasses approximately
20 percent of the total land mass of
the contiguous U.S. According to the
Service’s 2001 National Survey, over
10.2 million residents of the Region
participate in wildlife recreation activities
(about 74 percent of the population).
It is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream come
true with a unique and dynamic array
of wildlife and sport fish opportunities.
Watching bald eagles soar along the front
range of the Rockies, seeing pronghorn
antelope dash up to 60 miles per hour in
the grasslands, listening to the croaking
of toads in playa lakes filled after a
thunderstorm, and being enchanted at
the stable footing of bighorn sheep and
mountain goats along cliffs are just part
of the experiences that await visitors.
Fishing for native trout in clear, clean
mountain creeks and rivers, and angling
for largemouth bass, walleye and other
warm water fish in the numerous man-made
reservoirs, makes the Region a
recreation paradise for residents and
tourists alike. Elk, mule deer and white
tailed deer attract thousands of hunters
to Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and
Utah. Hunting birds such as quail, dove
and pheasant brings joy to thousands
of hunters in North and South Dakota,
Nebraska and Kansas. Amphibians,
birds, fish, mammals and reptiles that
coexist in complex and diverse habitats
and trophic relationships are diverse
and plentiful. There are 56 listed species
and 30 candidate species in the region
including the bald eagle, black-footed
ferret, gray wolf, grizzly bear, lynx, and
pallid sturgeon.
The Mountain-Prairie Region is
committed to fulfilling its responsibilities
to its trust resources and the American
people through partnerships. The
Division of Federal Assistance works
Comments from
Regional Director,
Mountain-Prairie
Region 6
Mitch King
Regional Director, Mitch King together
with Rob Olson of Delta Waterfowl and
Roger Holevoat, Project Leader on the
Devil’s Lake Wetland Management
District during a field review of this
WMD in North Dakota. USFWS
facing page photo: Lake Dillon,
Summit County, Colorado
Regional Director, Mitch King and Rob Olson, President of Delta Waterfowl viewing
Gadwall eggs on the Devil’s Lake Wetlands Management District in North Dakota.
This is an example of the Regional Directors commitment to Partnerships. USFWS
September 2006
closely with the 8 States, 37 Federally
recognized tribes, and others to make
resources available through 9 grant
programs:
1. Pittman-Robertson Wildlife
Restoration Act, with Hunter
Education grants;
2. Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish
Restoration Act, with Aquatic
Education grants;
3. Endangered Species Grant Program;
4. Clean Vessel Act Program;
5. State Wildlife Grant Program;
6. Landowner Incentive Program;
7. Tribal Wildlife Grant Program;
8. Tribal Landowner Incentive Program;
9. Boating Infrastructure Grant
Program.
These grants provide aquatic and
hunter education; hunting and
fishing opportunities; boating access;
habitat acquisition and protection of
habitat through fee title acquisition
and conservation easements; access
for hunting and wildlife watching
through walk-in programs with private
landowners; production of sport fish in
State hatcheries; surveys and research
on fish and wildlife species; technical
guidance, planning and coordination;
habitat creation and restoration efforts
for species enhancement; and recovery
of endangered and threatened species.
The Service’s grant programs assist
each State or Tribe achieve its own
objectives while contributing to national
conservation goals.
In the Mountain-Prairie Region, there
is a significant difference in the amount
of private versus public land ownership.
The Great Plains States of North
Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and
Kansas have a greater percentage of
private lands (up to 90 percent in North
and South Dakota), and thus, rely on
private landowners for wildlife habitat
and populations. The Rocky Mountain
States of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado
and Utah have a significantly greater
public land ownership. In these States,
about 60 percent of all land ownership
is private. The immense 40 percent of
public lands offers vast resources for
wildlife and the American public. The
Landowner Incentive program, the State
Wildlife program and their component
Tribal programs, along with Endangered
Species grants provide the Service
with unparalleled opportunities and
challenges to work with States, Tribal
and local governments; and private
landowners to benefit the diverse array of
“species of greatest conservation need.”
Species of greatest conservation need
are determined by the States. Examples
include the greater sage grouse, Utah
prairie dog, leatherside chub, Northern
leopard frog and the Gila monster.
There are 37 Federally recognized
tribes in the Region with an estimated
population of 204,234 persons living on
9,456,551 acres of tribal lands. Habitats
found on reservations and tribal lands
contain unique environments for wildlife.
The legacy and relationship of plant and
animal communities to tribal cultures
are significant. The Division of Federal
Assistance works with the Region’s
Tribal Liaison to fund and administer
projects proposed by Native American
communities and Tribes. Since the
creation of the Tribal Wildlife Grant and
Tribal Landowner Incentive Program
grant programs in 2002, 44 competitive
grants have been awarded to 19 Tribes,
in the amount of $8 million.
In this publication, you will read
about some of the activities and
accomplishments funded through the
Division of Federal Assistance. I am
proud of the partnerships that have been
made in the Region among the Service,
the States and the Tribes. We look
forward to creating new partnerships
and improving on existing partnerships
for the positive needs of fish and wildlife
and the people who use and enjoy these
resources.
September 2006
News Section
New Leadership
and New Employees
at the Washington
Office
Pam Matthes was selected in April as
the Deputy to both the Assistant Director
for Migratory Birds and to the Assistant
Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration Programs. She comes to
both these programs after having served
in the Division of Federal Assistance as
special assistant to the Division Chief and
also the Multistate Conservation Grant
Program Coordinator.
Pam Matthes has worked among a wide
variety of natural resource management
programs throughout the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS), the National
Park Service (NPS) and the Department
to protect and restore sensitive fish
and wildlife habitat affected by special
projects. Pam began her career with
the FWS by working in the Office of
Biological Services, which later became
known as Ecological Services, where she
served as a Fish and Wildlife Biologist
providing protective stipulations
governing oil and gas development on
the outer continental shelf. Pam used
knowledge gained in ES and moved to
the Division of Refuge Management,
where she designed protective
stipulations governing the development
of private oil and gas rights in select units
of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
She also worked on special projects,
such as geothermal exploration in the
Arctic NWR. While in Refuges, Pam also
worked on significant land exchanges
affecting units of both the National
Wildlife Refuge System and the National
Park System in Alaska.
From her work in Refuges, Pam joined
the NPS where she assisted Park
Superintendents with protecting natural
resources during energy development
of privately owned mineral rights.
She later joined the Water Resources
Division to enhance the wetlands
protection and natural resource damage
assessment programs of the NPS.
During her last year with the NPS and
before returning to the FWS, Pam was
the Special Assistant to the Assistant
Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and
Parks and assisted the National Park
Service in strengthening its scientific
capabilities to manage fish and wildlife
resources in parks. During her time in
the Assistant Secretary’s Office, Pam
secured legislative protection for the
hydrothermal resources of Crater Lake
National Park from adjacent geothermal
development, for which she was awarded
the Department’s Honor Award for
Superior Service.
After serving nearly 3 years as the
Deputy Chief of the Division of Federal
Assistance (FA), Jim Greer was
announced as the new Chief, replacing
Kris LaMontagne who retired in
March of 2006. Prior to coming to the
Washington Office he served as a Branch
Chief in the FA program in Region 1
(Portland, Oregon). He came to the
Service following 26 years working for
the Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife (ODFW). After a 10 year stint in
the field as a wildlife biologist, Jim was
promoted to the ODFW headquarters
office and served as the Wildlife Division
Chief for 5 years. In 1997 he was
selected as the agency Director. In that
capacity, and as a member of the Service
Regulations Committee, Pacific Flyway
Council, and President of the Western
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
he worked closely with the Service on
waterfowl issues, listings of salmon,
trout and various nongame species,
and addressing landscape level habitat
protection issues.
“It’s and honor to be selected as the
Chief of Federal Assistance,” Greer
said. “This program has come a long
way in the last several years and is
now looked to for its expert knowledge
and understanding of complex grants
September 2006
management issues and having a very
efficient and effective business model that
has stood the test of countless audits and
review procedures. Our role in delivering
over $600 million annually in grants to
State Fish and Wildlife Agencies for
conservation activities throughout the
country is a huge responsibility. Our team
of managers, biologists, support staff and
grant, fiscal, training and IT specialists
continue to provide excellent service and
stand ready to take on new challenges at
both the regional and Washington Office
levels.”
In May 2006, John Stemple assumed the
position of the Multistate Conservation
Grant Program coordinator within the
Federal Assistance Division Washington
Office.
John earned a Bachelor of Science
degree in biology from the University
of Pittsburgh and completed a
Master’s Degree in fisheries biology
from the University of Rhode Island
with additional core course work in
oceanography.
He began his Federal career working as
a biologist for the U.S. Forest Service
at the Southeastern Forest Experiment
Station, University of Virginia,
Blacksburg, Virginia, surveying cold
water streams for fish populations and
habitat in the southern Appalachian
Mountains including Great Smoky
Mountains National Park in 1992. In
addition, he worked as a volunteer fishery
biologist for the Virginia Department of
Game and Inland Fisheries doing similar
work.
In 1993, he worked as a fishery biologist
for the National Marine Fisheries
Service, Habitat and Protected
Resources Division in Oxford, Maryland.
He served on several workgroups, such
as Fish Passage, Habitat Restoration,
and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation for
the Chesapeake Bay Program.
In 2001, he began his career with the
USFWS at the Athens, GA Ecological
Services Field Office. His major duties
included FERC hydropower and
DOT project review. He also provided
technical guidance in stream morphology,
description, erosion control and fish
habitat improvement.
In June, 2002, he assumed
responsibilities as a FWS fishery
biologist/grant manager under the
Federal Assistance Grants program
in the Atlanta Regional Office. He
coordinated approximately 75 Sport Fish
Restoration grants among five States
in the Southeast and acted as program
manager for the Coastal Wetlands
Conservation Grant program.
September 2006
Tom McCoy joined the Division in
August 2006 as staff to the Policy Branch.
His responsibilities will include updating
Service manual chapters and regulations.
He graduated from Columbus State
University 1996, with a B.S. in Biological
Science and completed course work
toward a M.S. in Environmental Science
in 2002.
Tom began his career in 1996, at
Mead Coated Board (Mead-Westvaco)
Woodlands Division as a Forestry/GIS
technician where he performed GIS
field work, installed research plots while
cruising timber, and researched deer
populations and forage preference in
Alabama. In 1999, Tom relocated to the
City of Griffin, Georgia where he worked
as an Environmental Technician/Urban
Forester. While in Griffin, he dealt with
water quality and environmental issues
related to construction and stormwater,
as well as reviewing and inspecting site
plans.
His urban forestry duties included the
inspection and maintenance of 12,000 city
Christy Kuczak has also joined the
Federal Assistance Washington Office.
She will serve as a grants management
specialist in the Branch of Grant
Operations and Policy. Christy comes
to us from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture in the Cooperative State
Research, Education, and Extension
Service (CSREES) where she was
a Program Specialist. She managed
formula and competitive grant
programs for research, education, and
extension primarily at Land Grant
Universities around the U.S., including
the Historically Black Universities
and Colleges, Tribal Colleges, and
Hispanic Serving Institutions. While at
CSREES, she specialized in programs
in the natural resources area, with
most of her work focusing on programs
in forestry, sustainable development,
ecology, rangeland management, fish
and wildlife. Her experience in strategic
planning, the PART process, facilitation,
and building partnerships will likely
carry over into her duties with FWS. She
received various awards for her work
related to diversity, strategic planning,
and electronic grants. She has an M.S.
in Soil and Crop Sciences from Cornell
University with her thesis work on
agroforestry systems and the influence of
agroforestry trees and large earthworms
on soil fertility of the Brazilian Amazon.
She also earned a B.S. in Environmental
and Plant Biology from Ohio University.
Christy Kuczak with a green sea turtle,
Chelonia mydas, that is nesting in
Singer Island, Florida.
trees, writing the city’s tree ordinance,
and serving as a member of the tree
board. In 2001, Tom took a position as
the Land Condition Trend Analysis
coordinator at Fort Benning, Georgia
where he inventoried and monitored
Army training land resources such as
vegetation, avian, faunal, and soil studies.
He provided the installation with
technical expertise from his findings such
as summary reports, monthly reports,
briefings, meetings, and presentations
to support land management decisions.
In early 2002, he also assumed the
responsibilities of the GIS Program
Analyst, providing maps for the
installation using ArcGIS and ArcView.
In June 2002, Tom accepted a wildlife
biologist position with the USFWS
Division of Federal Assistance-Southeast
Region in Atlanta, Georgia where he
manages the technical overview of grant
programs for 5 States in the region.
He also manages all Hunter Education
Program Grants for the Region
and conducts technical reviews and
processing of projects from State
grantees receiving Federal Assistance
Funds (under Pittman-Robertson Wildlife
Restoration Act, Dingell-Johnson Sport
Fish Restoration Act, State Wildlife
Grants, Landowner Incentive Program,
Endangered Species Act, and Wildlife
Conservation and Restoration Program)
to ensure that these projects are
substantial in character and design and in
accordance with the Federal Assistance
Manual, Policy Statements, Executive
Orders, and Office of Management and
Budget Circulars.
Tom has been married for 4 years
and has an 18-month-old son. Tom’s
hobbies include hunting and fishing,
golf, baseball/softball, video games, and
spending time with his wife and son.
September 2006
Rowan Gould, Assistant Director for
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
Programs
Pam Matthes, Deputy Assistant Director
for Migratory Birds and Wildlife and
Sport Fish Restoration
Jim Greer, Division Chief
Vacant, Deputy Division Chief -
Operations
Doug Gentile, Civil Rights Coordinator
for Public Access
Jimmye Kane, Lead Secretary
John Stemple, Multistate Conservation
Grants Coordinator
Vacant, Secretary
Branch of Budget and Administration
Tom Jeffrey, Branch Chief - Budget
Development and Execution -
Program Management
Mary Grieco, Administrative Officer
Vacant, Program Support Assistant
Vacant, Program Analyst
Branch of Information Management
Lori Bennett, Branch Chief
Vacant, Fiscal Management -
Audit Liaison
Ed Duda, System Developer
Michele Storz, IT Specialist
Jeffrey Graves, Server Support -
Web Site Support
Pete Hitchcock, Network Engineer,
Security Officer
C. J. Huang, Database Administrator
Sandie Lehberger, Administrative
Technician
David Washington, ADP Systems
Support - ADP Acquisition Support
Debbie Wircenske, Help Desk, Quality
Assurance, Fiscal Administration and
Training
Luther Zachary, FAIMS Branch Chief
Branch of Grants Operations and Policy
Tom Barnes, Branch Chief
Brian Bohnsack, Sport Fish Restoration,
Clean Vessel Act - Boating Infrastructure
Grants
Kim Galvan, Regulations - Support staff
for Joint Federal/State Task Force for
Federal Assistance
Genevieve Pullis-LaRouche, State Wildlife
Grants - Landowner Incentive Program
Christy Kuczak, Coastal Wetlands
Tom McCoy, Federal Assistance Manual
Review, Rulemaking
Branch of Audits
Vacant, Branch Chief - Audits
Ord Bargerstock, Acting Branch Chief,
Systems Accountant - Audit Resolution
Branch of Surveys
Sylvia Cabrera, Branch Chief -
National Survey of Fishing, Hunting
and Wildlife-Associated Recreation
Richard Aiken, Economist -
National Survey
Jerry Leonard, Economist -
National Survey
Branch of Training
Steve Leggans, Branch Chief
Julie Schroyer, Administrative Analyst
Debbie Unbehagen, Grants Management
Specialist (Instructor)
Scott Knight, Grants Management
Specialist (Instructor)
Staff Directory
Federal Assistance
Washington DC
Office
Federal Assistance Main Phone Number
703/358 2156
Web Address
http://federalaid.fws.gov
September 2006
Federal Assistance
Program Overview
The goal of the Federal Assistance
program is to work with States to
conserve, protect, and enhance fish,
wildlife, their habitats, and the hunting,
sport fishing, and recreational boating
opportunities they provide. The Federal
Assistance Program is responsible for
administering the following Programs:
n Wildlife Restoration
n Sport Fish Restoration
n Clean Vessel Act
n Boating Infrastructure Grants
n National Coastal Wetlands
Conservation Grants
n Multistate Conservation Grants
n State Wildlife Grants
n Landowner Incentive
n Hunter Education and Safety
Program
In addition, Federal Assistance
provides grant management support
for endangered species traditional
section 6, Habitat Conservation Plan
(HCP) Land Acquisition, HCP Planning,
and Recovery Land Acquisition grant
programs. The following is an update
on the accomplishments of the Federal
Assistance program and its partners with
these grant programs.
10 September 2006
Landowner Incentive Program
In August, 39 State and territorial
wildlife agencies were notified that they
would receive a 2006 LIP grant. Of these
States, 37 received a Tier I grant to
help initiate or improve existing efforts
dealing with private lands. Individual
Tier I grants ranged in value from almost
$69,000 to $180,000. Another 17 States
received Tier II grants to help pay for
specific projects. The value of Tier II
grants varied from $436,000 to over
$945,000.
Following 2007 budget deliberations,
both the House and Senate Conference
reported budgets that were much smaller
than were requested in the President’s
budget. A final budget number will not be
ready until the budget is approved, which
may not be until the fall or winter of 2006.
In light of potentially reduced funding,
Federal Assistance personnel have
worked to determine the most effective
and equitable ways to rank projects and
distribute funds. These changes are
being incorporated into a Request For
Proposals.
Focus on Specific
Programs and
Activities
State Wildlife Grants
The review of the Wildlife Action
Plans (aka Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategies) is beginning
to wind down. In February 2006, the
National Advisory Acceptance Team
(NAAT) completed the initial review of
all 56 Plans. Of the initial submissions,
38 were approved as written and 18 were
conditionally approved. Of those that
were conditionally approved five have
been resubmitted and approved, and two
others have been resubmitted and will be
reviewed early in August. If all goes well,
the review process should be finished by
December 2006.
In the meantime, the State Wildlife
Grants program continues to mature.
Federal Assistance personnel in the
Washington Office and the Regions
continue to assist the States in their
efforts to implement the Plans. Personnel
have been involved in each of the multi-
State coordination efforts organized
by the regional associations of the
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
(AFWA). Likewise, Federal Assistance
personnel, working with the AFWA,
have been actively involved in promoting
the use of the Plans by other Federal
agencies, such as the Department of
Defense and the Natural Resources
Conservation Service and within the
Service Federal Assistance personnel
continue to provide guidance to other
programs as they work to integrate these
documents into their operations.
During April 2006, a workgroup was
formed to update the State Wildlife
Grants program guidelines. This
team, which represents the Service
and the State wildlife agencies, has
been reviewing the historic guidelines,
adapting text to represent current
situations, and drafting new guidelines to
address issues that hadn’t occurred when
the original guidelines were drafted.
State agencies had the opportunity to
discuss the draft guidelines at the “One
Year Later” meeting at NCTC during
the first week of August 2006, and the
draft text was made available on Group
Systems shortly thereafter so State
agencies could provide official input. The
final guidelines should be available by the
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’
Annual Conference in September 2006.
September 2006 11
Fiscal Year 2007 National Coastal
Wetlands Grant Program Funding
Proposals Under Consideration
The Service is currently evaluating
proposals submitted for funding from the
National Coastal Wetlands Conservation
grant program for fiscal year 2007.
The proposals are reviewed by a panel
of Service personnel and this group’s
funding recommendations are forwarded
on to the Director for consideration.
The program’s awards are expected to
be announced in early December after
the final receipts into the Sport Fish
Restoration and Boating Trust Fund are
determined for fiscal year 2006.
The Service estimates that approximately
$16 million will be available for proposals
in fiscal year 2007. Thirty-three proposals
from 14 States requesting a total of $24.1
million of Federal funding for fiscal year
2007.
Almost $208 million in awards from the
National Coastal Wetlands Conservation
grant program have been awarded since
its inception in the early 1990s. The
program is credited with the acquisition,
protection and restoration of thousands
of acres of critical coastal wetlands
habitat.
Boating Infrastructure Grant Program
Improvements Continue
The Service continues to refine and
improve the administration of the
Boating Infrastructure Grant program.
Several notable changes were made
to the program in fiscal year 2006 as
the Service implemented program
improvements recommended by the
Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership
Council. Some of these improvements
included delaying the initial deadline
for proposals to October 31 in order
to allow boating interests more time
to prepare proposals and to remove
some of the pressure of proposal
preparation during the peak boating
season. The Service released Tier 1
funds much earlier in this grant cycle
than in previous years. Specifically, the
Service released the funds to States as
proposals were received, rather than
waiting until the announcement of the
Tier 2 awards. Additionally, Service staff
and members of the Sport Fishing and
Boating Partnership Council’s Boating
Infrastructure Grant Program committee
met jointly to review and rank Tier 2
proposals for the first time since the
program’s inception. The joint ranking of
proposals resulted in improved efficiency
in the proposal selection process, while
increasing the partnership between the
Service and its stakeholders.
The Service intends to continue to refine
the program in the coming year and to
implement additional recommendations
made by the Sport Fishing and Boating
Partnership Council. The Service is
accepting proposals for the fiscal year
2007 grant cycle through October 31.
Other program highlights for fiscal year
2006 included awarding $3.7 million
of Tier 1 funds to 38 States, including
$100,000 which was awarded to the
Arizona for its first ever participation
in the program. The Service received
30 proposals requesting a total of $21.5
million for the Tier 2 funds in fiscal year
2006. The Service was able to award
$8,280,596 in Tier 2 awards this fiscal
year. Funding for the program increased
approximately $3 million this fiscal year
as a result of the funding changes passed
by Congress in the Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity
Act (P.L. 109-059). The Tier 2 proposals
receiving funding included:
Alabama: The Decatur Riverwalk
Marina Transient Facilities, the City of
Decatur and the Riverwalk Marina, LLC,
will receive $236,127 and match $327,117
to construct a total of 20 transient boat
slips for boaters using Wheeler Reservoir
on the Tennessee River.
California: The Camp Emerald Bay
Improvements on Santa Catalina Island
will receive $445,000 and match $523,500
to construct a floating dock and dinghy
dock.
Marina Del Rey, The Harbor Real
Estate Group, The Boatyard and
several cooperators will receive $825,000
and match $2,235,000 to modernize a
dilapidated fuel dock to a state-of-the-art
facility.
The Pier 38 Maritime Recreation Center
in San Francisco will receive $1,500,000
and match $2,714,890 to construct a
fuel dock and additional floating docks
for transient boaters. The project is
estimated to double the amount of
transient dockage available in the local
area.
The Westpoint Marina and Boat Yard
in Redwood City will receive $693,153
and match $693,153 to construct new
floating docks with utilities providing
accommodations for up to 48 transient
boats. This will improve facilities for
transient boaters in the South San
Francisco Bay area.
Maine: Camden Harbor Wharf
Renovation will receive $300,000 and
match $900,605 to repair a fuel dock
wharf area and fund one-time dredging
and the installation of 20 new transient
slips.
Maryland: The Baltimore Inner Harbor
Marine Center will receive $1,080,577
and match $1,124,683 to reconstruct the
existing marina to provide 92 slips for
transient boats.
12 September 2006
New Jersey: The Key Harbor Transient
Facilities in Waretown will receive
$321,582 and match $172,105 to construct
twelve transient slips with amenities
through the installation of a bulkhead.
Key Harbor Marina is centrally located
to Long Beach Island and Tuckerton
Seaport.
The Sandy Hook Bay Marina Transient
Facilities in Borough of Highlands will
receive $611,664 and match $611,661 to
construct 32 transient slips by relocating
the marina entrance and provide utilities
for these sites.
New York: The Eagle Creek Marina in
Kendall will receive $245,741 and match
$267,765 to construct 24 new transient
slips with utilities, add new restrooms,
and install an updated sewage system
and fuel dock for transient boaters at the
Eagle Creek Marina.
Oregon: The Gleason Transient Tie-up
and Wave Wall will receive $820,800 and
match $461,700 to protect and improve
the existing moorage for transient
boaters at the M. James Gleason Boat
Ramp, a major boating site on the
Columbia River.
The Maple Street Transient Tie-up in
Florence will receive $480,000 and match
$370,000 to replace the aging transient
docks located in the historic waterfront
of Old Town. Approximately 270 feet of
new concrete floats will be constructed to
provide transient boaters access to this
popular area.
The Sandy Beach on Government Island
in the Columbia River will receive
$544,000 and match $316,000 to complete
the development of the Sandy Beach
boat-only access.
Texas: Port Lavaca will receive $176,452
and match $75,623 to construct new boat
slips for transient boaters. Specifically,
the project will add 200 linear feet with 6
fingers to provide 12 new boats slips with
electrical and water hookups.
Clean Vessel Act Grant Program
Being Evaluated
Service Director Dale Hall has
charged the Sport Fishing and Boating
Partnership Council to complete an
assessment of the Clean Vessel Act
Grant program. The review began over
the summer and is expected to last
approximately 1 year. The review will
be similar to the Council’s assessment
of the Boating Infrastructure Grant
program which was completed in
2005. Some of the items to be assessed
include the program’s funding practices.
Boating stakeholders on the Council had
expressed an interest and willingness to
assess the program, which has been in
existence since the early 1990s. Congress
reauthorized the program as part of the
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act (P.L. 109-059).
The program is credited with improving
the water quality in many parts of the
country and program participants have
installed thousands of sewage pumpout
stations throughout the country. In
addition, program participants have
purchased hundreds of sewage pumpout
boats and States’ educational programs
inform thousands of individuals each year
about proper sewage disposal.
The Service awarded $12.26 million to
32 States from the 2006 Clean Vessel
Act grant program for fiscal year 2006
earlier this summer. The Service received
42 proposals from 32 States requesting
a total of $18.1 million of Federal funds
from the Clean Vessel Act program in
fiscal year 2006. The Service awarded all
available funds to grant recipients.
A summary of the awards and recipients
include:
Alabama- $255,604- The State plans
to install 24 sewage pumpout stations
and purchase 2 sewage pumpout boats
for its inland and coastal waters. These
facilities and boats are planned for use
on areas such as the Dog River, Mobile
Bay, Wheeler Lake and Lake Martin.
In addition, the State plans to continue
its efforts to inform boaters about the
importance of proper sewage disposal.
Arkansas- $79,600- The State plans to
install 4 new sewage pumpout facilities
and purchase 3 sewage pumpout boats.
These facilities are planned for Greer’s
Ferry Lake, Table Rock Lake, Lake
Ouachita, Bull Shoals Lake, and Lake
Norfork. In addition, the State will
continue with its efforts to inform boaters
about the importance of proper sewage
disposal.
Arizona- $105,683- The State will
renovate the 1 public pumpout station on
Lake Havasu and install a new pumpout
facility at Lake Pleasant.
California- $1,383,895- The State plans
to construct sewage pumpout facilities
and floating restrooms, as well as
purchase 4 sewage pumpout boats with
its program awards. These facilities and
boats are planned throughout the State
in its inland and coastal waters. The State
will also continue its educational program
for recreational boaters.
Connecticut- $988,652- The State plans
to construct 2 sewage pumpout stations
and purchase 2 sewage pumpout boats.
In addition, the State will continue its
education program for recreational
boaters and also assist with the operation
and maintenance of approximately 40
September 2006 13
sewage pumpout facilities and 15 sewage
pumpout boats throughout the State’s
coastal areas.
Delaware- $157,700- The State plans
to construct 6 sewage pumpout stations
for the coastal areas and to continue
its education program for recreational
boaters.
Georgia- $27,969- The State plans to
assist with the development of a sewage
pumpout facility at Trade Winds marina
on Strom Thurmond Lake.
Florida- $1,335,570- The State plans to
construct sewage pumpout facilities in
both its coastal and inland waters, as well
as continuing its education program to
inform boaters about the importance of
proper sewage disposal. The majority of
the award ($1,000,000) will be used in the
State’s coastal waters.
Hawaii- $1,000,000- The State plans to
develop sewage pumpout facilities at Port
Allen and Maalaea Small Boat Harbors
and to continue its educational program
for recreational boaters.
Idaho- $49,851- The State plans to
develop a new sewage pumpout facility at
Priest Lake near the city of Coolin.
Illinois- $50,000- The State plans to
construct up to 5 sewage pumpout
facilities at private marinas in its inland
waters.
Indiana- $104,458- The State plans to
construct 4 sewage pumpout stations
throughout the State and to continue
its education program for recreational
boaters. Two of the new stations are
proposed for either the Ohio River or
Lake Michigan waters.
Kentucky- $74,377- The State plans
to construct up to 4 sewage pumpout
stations and continue its education
program to inform recreational boaters
about the importance of proper sewage
disposal. The State plans to put 2 new
pumpout facilities on Herrington Lake
and at Craig’s Creek on the Ohio River.
Louisiana- $333,000- The State plans to
develop as many as 7 sewage pumpout
facilities throughout the State. These
include 6 in coastal areas and 1 in inland
waters. The State will continue its
education with recreational boaters.
Maine- $294,920- The State plans
to construct as many as 10 sewage
pumpout stations at private and public
marinas and to provide operation and
maintenance funds for pumpout stations
previously installed with Clean Vessel
Act program funds. The State will also
continue its efforts to educate boaters
about the importance of proper sewage
disposal.
Maryland- $655,000- The State plans to
install 17 new sewage pumpout stations
and replace or upgrade 12 existing
facilities in coastal waters. Additionally,
the State will continue its education
program for recreational boaters and will
also provide operations and maintenance
funds for facilities previously installed
with Clean Vessel Act program funds.
Massachusetts- $1,000,000- The State
plans to renovate or install new sewage
pumpout stations at 10 facilities along
the coast including in Plum Island Sound
and Salem Sound. Grant funds will also
be used to replace up to 7 motors on
sewage pumpout boats. The State will
also continue its education program for
recreational boaters.
Michigan- $200,000- The State plans to
install as many as 10 sewage pumpout
stations at private marinas throughout
the Great Lakes. Additionally the State
plans to continue its educational program
for recreational boaters.
Minnesota- $29,206- The State plans to
install a new sewage pumpout station
on the St. Croix River in Washington
County.
Missouri- $36,000- The State plans to
install 3 new sewage pumpout facilities
throughout the State and to continue
its effort to inform recreational boaters
about the importance of proper sewage
disposal.
Nevada- $16,452- The State plans to
assist with the installation of a new
sewage pumpout facility at the Las Vegas
Boat Harbor on Lake Mead.
New Hampshire- $131,175- The State
plans to install 2 new sewage pumpout
facilities including one at either Lake
Winnipesaukee or Lake Sunapee, as well
as providing operation and maintenance
funding for other facilities installed
previously with program funds. The State
will also continue its educational program
for recreational boaters.
Ohio- $173,224- The State plans to install
2 new sewage pumpout facilities. One is
planned for the Chagrin River near the
town of Eastlake and 1 is planned for a
marina on Lake Erie near Cleveland.
The State will also continue its efforts to
educate boaters about the importance of
proper sewage disposal.
Oklahoma- $17,784- The State will
install a new pumpout facility at Lake
Murray.
Oregon- $393,160- The State plans to
install as many as 15 sewage pumpout
stations and one floating restroom
throughout the State’s coastal and inland
waters. The State also plans to continue
its efforts to educate boaters about the
importance of proper sewage disposal.
Rhode Island- $384,000- The State
plans to install 21 new sewage pumpout
facilities and purchase a sewage pumpout
boat. The State will also continue its
educational program for recreational
boaters.
Tennessee- $239,011- The State plans
to install sewage pumpout stations
primarily in the Mississippi, Tennessee
and Cumberland River systems
throughout the State. In addition, the
State will continue its efforts to educate
boaters about the importance of proper
sewage disposal.
Texas- $771,351- The State will construct
6 sanitary pumpout facilities for
recreational boating at coastal marina
facilities, renovate 6 existing restrooms,
construct 4 new restrooms located
adjacent to coastal public boat ramps
and continue a boater education program
regarding waste disposal. In addition,
the State plans to pursue partnerships
with local governments and other State
agencies to provide pumpout facilities
where there are already water-based
recreation opportunities such as parks,
marinas or boat ramps
Utah- $105,000- The State plans to
assist with the replacement of a sewage
pumpout station at Cedar Springs
Marina on Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
Virginia- $928,125- The State plans to
install 28 sewage pumpout stations, 1
floating restroom and purchase 1 sewage
pumpout boat for its inland and coastal
waters. Additionally, the State will
continue its efforts to educate boaters
about the importance of proper disposal
of their sewage.
Washington- $1,000,000- The State
plans to install sewage pumpout facilities
throughout the State on its inland and
coastal waters. In addition, the State
will continue its educational program for
recreational boaters.
14 September 2006
Wisconsin- $45,000- The State plans to
install 3 sewage pumpout facilities on
inland waters and the Great Lakes with
the program awards.
The Service will announce the request for
funding proposals for the fiscal year 2007
grant cycle later this year. Proposals will
be due in early 2007.
State Audits
The Division of Federal Assistance
is required to audit each State entity
participating in the Sports Fish and
Wildlife Restoration programs 2 of every
5 years. To conduct the audits, we have
contracted with the Department of the
Interior, Office of Inspector General.
Currently, there are 7 entities being
audited in 6 States. The 6 States that are
now in the fieldwork stage of audits are:
n Georgia
n Maine
n Maryland
n Missouri
n North Dakota
n South Carolina
We expect the audits to be completed on
time by the end of the fiscal year.
The next 5-year cycle of State audits will
begin October 2006. We will continue
working with the Department of the
Interior, Office of Inspector General for
audit services.
The Division strives to maintain
open lines of communication between
the auditors, grantees, and Federal
Assistance offices. All comments and
suggestions on our audit program are
welcome. Our experiences and the
feedback from the audits continue to be
very positive, and we look forward to
our continued partnership with all of our
stakeholders. For additional information
on this issue, please contact Ord
Bargerstock.
FAIMS/FBMS
The Federal Assistance Information
Management System (FAIMS) is used
by the Service to manage the complete
life cycle of over half a billion dollars in
grants annually. FAIMS was scheduled
to be replaced by the Department of
Interior’s planned Financial Business
Management System (FBMS) in Fiscal
Year 2007. Problems encountered
have lead to selection of a new system
integrator and further delays in
deployment. Implementation of the
FBMS in the Fish and Wildlife Service is
now scheduled for Fiscal Year 2010.
Required upgrades to modernize FAIMS
infrastructure have been completed
in order to facilitate continued vendor
support and increase system security.
The system is now being subjected to
a lengthy multistep security analysis
process required for renewal of the
system’s Certification and Accreditation.
Luther Zachary, Chief Branch of
FAIMS Support, has been designated as
System Manager. The designation was
formerly held by Lori Bennett, Chief of
Information Management.
Work continues on:
1. Refinement of internal controls for
FAIMS maintenance, testing and
operations.
2. Refinements to the FAIMS Land
module required to increase ease of
use and eliminate bugs.
3. Improvements to various aspects of
system security.
September 2006 15
Multistate Conservation Grant Program
Multistate Conservation Grants
are awarded cooperatively with the
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
(AFWA). These grants support products
and solve high priority problems affecting
States on a regional or national basis and
allow for efficient use of limited resources
to address the national conservation
needs of States established through the
AFWA. Examples below highlight the
broad array of projects supported by
Multistate Conservation grants. To learn
more about all projects funded and the
benefits derived from the Multistate
Conservation Grant Program, please visit
http://faims.fws.gov.
Western Native Trout Initiative
The basic objective of this grant
is to speed the implementation of
conservation, management and
information needs of native Western
trout. With few exceptions, native trout
populations have declined across the
West, usually due to habitat alteration
and introduced species that result in
predation, competition, or hybridization.
Because the native Western trout
species occupy a number of watersheds,
a broad scale conservation strategy will
be necessary to achieve the objective.
These watersheds often span a number
of jurisdictions, therefore, a cooperative
joint venture strategy involving Federal,
State, tribal and local governments,
conservation and recreational
organizations, private landowners
and individual citizens to produce a
management plan will be necessary. At
project completion this grant will provide
for improved coordination, and a unified
approach to conservation by the partners
to improve the status of populations and
habitats of Western native trout. The
end result will be improved recreational
opportunities for anglers across the
Western States.
International Instream Flow
Program Initiative
The majority of State and Provincial fish
and wildlife agencies have historically
managed fisheries for the most part by
regulation, stocking, and physical habitat
management and restoration. While
these strategies are integral parts of
fisheries management, the greatest gains
in fish management in the future will
occur as result of protecting, restoring,
and managing water for aquatic habitats.
The comments of 4 State fish and wildlife
agency fishery chiefs in the March
2005 issue of Bass Times magazine
support this fact as do conclusions of
the National Fish Habitat Initiative,
and the American Fisheries Society
workshop in Milwaukee, that identified
securing adequate instream flow and
water volumes as one of the 10 greatest
challenges to fish habitat.
The overall goal of this project is to
enhance fish habitat at State/Provincial,
regional, and national levels by
identifying water management trends
and opportunities that will help State
and Provincial fishery and wildlife
management agencies develop, maintain,
or improve their instream flow and water
management programs and effectiveness.
Regardless of the present level of
instream flow and water management
expertise within any one agency’s
organization, this project will provide a
clear awareness of where their program
has been, what their capabilities are
today, and what opportunities exist for
improving their programs. By integrating
the input of instream flow experts from
all States and Provinces, the project will
allow participating agencies to develop
strategies and solutions that reflect the
unique opportunities that may exist at
State/Provincial, regional, and national
levels.
Sage-Grouse Interstate Working
Group Coordinator
The objective of this grant is to
continue funding a full-time position
to coordinate and facilitate interstate
conservation planning, inventory,
research, and management actions
to conserve sage-grouse populations
range wide. The sage-grouse range
covers millions of acres in 11 Western
States and 2 Canadian Provinces.
Population declines and loss of range
have prompted concern for the species
by the Western Association of Fish
and Wildlife Agencies, Bureau of Land
Management, U.S. Forest Service and
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In
July 2000 these agencies developed
a National Framework Team, as part
of an interagency Memorandum of
Understanding, to guide and coordinate
the species’ conservation. This proposal
will help provide the staffing necessary
to implement the provisions of the MOU.
An anticipated outcome will be the
production of a coordinated, cooperative
strategy for advancing conservation and
preservation of sage-grouse and their
range.
Greater sage grouse. USFWS
16 September 2006
The National Federal Assistance
Training Program
The National Federal Assistance
Training Program, located at the
National Conservation Training Center
in Shepherdstown, WV, is part of the
Washington Office of Federal Assistance.
The training program develops and
delivers grants management training
for Federal Assistance staff and State
fish and wildlife agency grantees. These
training courses increase the knowledge,
skills and abilities of State and Federal
personnel who manage Federal
assistance grants. This training helps
to ensure that Federal assistance grant
managers consistently apply the laws,
rules, and policies that govern Federal
assistance program administration.
Since 1996, almost 1,800 State and
Federal assistance grant managers and
grantees have received training through
courses and workshops developed by, or
offered in cooperation with, the Federal
Assistance Training Program.
Training offered includes: Basic Grants
Management Course, Project Leaders
Course, Federal Assistance Audit
Training, Grant Writing Workshop,
Compliance Issues Workshop, and
GroupSystems Leader Training.
Online training modules covering an
introduction to Federal assistance
grant programs and processes and a
familiarization to the Federal Assistance
Toolkit are also available on the Federal
Assistance Training Program Web site.
An advanced grant management course
covering fiscal, programmatic, and
compliance issues is scheduled as a pilot
course for October 2006.
Course descriptions, an on-line
application, an on-line training request
form, training materials, and other grant
manager’s resources are available on the
Federal Assistance Training Program
web site at: http://training.fws.gov/
fedaid/.
For additional information contact Steve
Leggans at the National Conservation
Training Center at 304/876-7927.
National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and
Wildlife-Associated Recreation
The Census Bureau successfully
completed the first wave of data collection
for the 2006 FHWAR Survey on June
3. The second wave will be conducted in
September and October 2006, and the
third, and last, in January and February
2007.
The first wave included screening
interviews of U.S. households to identify
a sample of 31,500 sportspersons
(anglers and hunters) and 24,300 wildlife
watchers (observers, photographers,
and feeders). It also included the first
detailed interviews of sample persons
who had already participated in wildlife-related
recreation in 2006. They were
asked questions about their activities and
expenditures.
Over 1,000 Census interviewers
contacted 85,000 households for
the Screening Interviews and got a
remarkable 89% response rate! Most
data were collected by computer-assisted
telephone interviews. However, in-person
interviews were conducted when
individuals could not be reached by
phone.
The Census Bureau also successfully
completed the first wave of interviews
in 3 States (Ohio, Missouri, and
Washington) for a Side-by-Side Test
to determine the feasibility of using
State license databases as a sample
source for future surveys. The same
sportsperson questionnaire, time frame,
and protocols—except for the sample
source—were used for both the regular
survey and the test sample. These
data will be analyzed to determine the
comparability of the test results with the
regular survey results. The analysis will
be completed in April 2007.
The 2006 survey will be the 11th
conducted since 1955. The Service has
coordinated the survey every 5 years
at the request of State fish and wildlife
agencies. The survey will be similar in
content, scope, and methodology to those
conducted in 1991, 1996, and 2001 so their
estimates will be comparable.
The 2006 survey will generate
information identified as priority data
needed by the States, non-governmental
organizations, and other major survey
users. General categories of information
collected include the number of
participants in different types of fish and
wildlife recreational activities, the extent
of participation (days and trips), and
related trip and equipment expenditures.
The 2006 survey is funded by Multistate
Conservation grants from the Wildlife
and Sport Fish Restoration programs.
Products will include preliminary
reports, a final national and 50 State
reports, database CDs, and quick facts
brochures. All data and reports will
be available on the Fish and Wildlife
Service’s Web site.
A preliminary report with national
information will be issued June 2007
and one with State data July 2007. A
final national report will be available
in October 2007, and State reports will
be available on a flow basis starting in
November.
The Service also produces analytical
reports based on survey data. Addenda to
the 2001 survey include the following 10
reports: Birding in the United States:
A Demographic and Economic Analysis;
2001 National and State Economic
Impacts of Wildlife Watching; Net
Economic Values for Wildlife-Related
Recreation in 2001; Participation
and Expenditure Patterns of African-
American, Hispanic, and Female
Hunters and Anglers; Fishing and
Hunting 1991-2001: Avid, Casual, and
Intermediate Participation Trends;
Deer Hunting in the United States: An
Analysis of Hunter Demographics and
Behavior; The Relationship between
Wildlife Watchers, Hunters, and
Anglers; Private and Public Land Use
by Hunters; and Economic Impact of
Waterfowl Hunting in the United States.
Copies of survey reports are available
on request or are accessible through the
following Web site: http://federalaid.fws.
gov. For more information you also may
contact the Service’s survey staff.
September 2006 17
Special Highlight
Mountain-Prairie Region
18 September 2006
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mountain-Prairie Region is composed
of the great States of Colorado, Kansas,
Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
The habitats and fish and wildlife that
use those habitats are as diverse as
the Region’s landscape. Rivers, lakes,
mountains, prairies, desert, and more can
be found in our great Region.
In fiscal year 2006, Region 6 Division
of Federal Assistance provided
approximately $81,356,627 in Federally
apportioned funds to our Region’s State
fish and game departments to support
hunting, angling, and non-consumptive
wildlife user programs. We’re proud of
the work we are doing and invite you
to take a look at some of our Region’s
highlights in this program update. Better
yet, we invite everyone to visit our States
to enjoy some of the best fish and wildlife
experiences our country has to offer.
Mountain-Prairie
Region
(CO, KS, MT, NE,
ND, SD, UT, WY)
State Federal Assistance Coordinator’s Annual Meeting in Saratoga, WY. Shown are
all the State FA Coordinators and Regional Federal Assistance Staff.
September 2006 19
Local working groups have been
established for each of the 12 sage-grouse
management units in Utah and
most of these groups have completed
conservation plans for their units. Utah
also participated with other States to
publish a rangewide assessment of
factors affecting the health and trend
of greater sage-grouse populations and
habitats. Utah worked with the State of
Colorado and number of Federal agencies
to develop a rangewide conservation plan
for the Gunnison sage-grouse. Members
of the Utah Partners for Conservation
and Development have agreed to share
resources in an unprecedented initiative
to conserve sagebrush ecosystems
Statewide with a special emphasis on
sage-grouse and mule deer habitats.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
has hired 5 wildlife biologists to work
throughout the State exclusively on
protection and restoration of sagebrush
and shrub-steppe habitats. In just 1
year, about 6,500 acres have undergone a
number of habitat enhancement projects,
including prescribed burns, planting
of seedlings, livestock fencing, and
sagebrush manipulation.
Under the Landowner Incentive
Program, Montana is implementing the
Sagebrush Initiative to achieve long-term
protection of 183,000 acres of privately
owned key sagebrush/grassland habitats
in Montana. The Initiative will provide
incentive payments to private landowners
to voluntarily refrain from sodbusting
and sagebrush control to allow
conservation of sage-grouse habitat.
Data collected over the long term
provide the sturdiest foundation for
basing management decisions. Utah has
been conducting range trend studies in
sagebrush and shrub-steppe habitats for
over 20 years with Wildlife Restoration
Act funds. These data provide critical
information on how species and habitats
have been affected and where to focus
key rehabilitation efforts. The data also
played an important role in determining
appropriate objective numbers for mule
deer herds and helped settle a conflict
between elk and livestock use of habitat.
Using a variety of grants in the Federal
Assistance toolbox, the Western States
are working together and individually
to conserve an invaluable part of
the heritage of the American West.
Preserving these landscapes will reduce
the risk of listing species as endangered
and will benefit the American people.
State Wildlife Grant Program a Catalyst
for Western States Partnership Effort
Sagebrush, shrub-steppe and prairie
ecosystems are a defining part of the
landscape and history of the American
West. These ecosystems are an integral
part of the richness of a diversity of
Western cultures and groups. Native
Americans, ranchers, hunters, and others
enjoy myriad recreational opportunities
and the beauty and vibrancy of the
landscape. Many sensitive wildlife species
also rely on these ecosystems: the pygmy
rabbit, black-footed ferret, prairie dogs,
sage thrasher, swift fox, lesser prairie
chicken, Swainson’s hawk, ferruginous
hawk, mountain plover, to name just a
few. The habitats in these ecosystems are
life-sustaining for many game species,
including mule deer, pronghorn antelope,
and sage grouse.
A host of factors have combined to cause
an alarming decline of the habitats of
the sagebrush and prairie ecosystems.
Human activities have contributed to
the decadent and unhealthy conditions
of these ecosystems: including land
and energy development; disruption of
normal fire cycles; improper grazing
practices, brush control, and off-road
vehicle use; and infestations of non-native
plants. A prolonged drought has
increased the severity of these effects. As
a consequence, many of the species that
depend on these habitats are becoming
stressed and are being considered for
listing under the Endangered Species
Act.
In response, Western States are working
to address threats to these ecosystems
and their species to avert the need
for Federal listing. Because these
ecosystems range over great distances
and across State borders, it benefits
the States to engage in collaborative
efforts. The State Wildlife Grant
program is helping one multi-State effort,
involving 8 Western States, to develop
and implement conservation plans to
maintain and enhance sagebrush and
shrub-steppe ecosystems with a focus
on Columbia sharp-tailed grouse and
sage-grouse species. These planning
and implementation processes are
also engaging Federal and other
State agencies, local governments,
farmers, ranchers, nongovernmental
organizations, and other partners.
The State Wildlife Grant program is also
jump starting another multi-State effort
to develop a comprehensive strategy
for conserving shrub-steppe and prairie
ecosystems across the Western Great
Plains. Twelve Western States will
work together to beef up conservation
strategies for the white-tailed and
Gunnison prairie dogs, develop State-specific
prairie dog management plans,
conduct surveys and inventories to obtain
current information on the conditions and
trends of the species and their habitats,
and encourage participation with
stakeholders and partners. The States
will also collaborate with Canada and
Mexico on mutual projects.
Colorado has completed a number of
local and rangewide species and habitat
conservation plans, management
guidelines, and a best management
practice guide. Colorado has also worked
with a private landowner to protect 560
acres of Gunnison sage-grouse habitat
with a conservation easement.
Utah has placed an emphasis on
working with local communities with
the philosophy that “If it’s not good for
communities, it’s not good for wildlife.”
Pronghorn antelope. USFWS
20 September 2006
State Wildlife Grant Program Funds
Critical Waterbird Inventory for South
Dakota
A major priority for State Wildlife
Grants funding is to help prevent future
endangered species listings. Collecting
baseline information on the status of
wildlife species is a critical step. The
South Dakota Department of Game,
Fish and Parks (SDGFP) has used State
Wildlife Grant funds to contract with
the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
(RMBO) to conduct a Statewide
inventory of 44 waterbird species and
to develop a monitoring system that
SDGFP can use in future years to track
the status of these species. The vast
majority of these species are not included
on the State or Federal lists of threatened
or endangered species. The SDGFP
hopes this project will detect potential
problems with any of these species before
they become too serious.
The project has been contracted to
RMBO because of their expertise in
developing and implementing bird
monitoring systems. Results of the work
have relevance to entities responsible for
water quality, fisheries, and streambank
and aquatic habitat protection. Of
coincidental interest is the status of
the double-crested cormorant in South
Dakota, a species that has been blamed
for game fish declines in other parts of
the upper Midwest.
The 2005 field season yielded the
following highlights: A list of 560 known
breeding sites was assembled from both
historical information and field visits; 408
of the sites were visited in 2005. Sites
with the highest number of breeding
waterbird species or populations included
Bitter Lake in Day County, Goose Lake
in Codington County, LaCreek National
Wildlife Refuge in Bennett County, and
Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge in
Brown County.
Chad Tussing, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks helps children attending the
“Catch a Rainbow” program of aquatic education learn how to fish. Photo courtesy of
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.
South Dakota
Catch a Rainbow
Catch a Rainbow is a fishing event
designed for people with disabilities in
residential facilities in Sioux Falls, South
Dakota. The 2006 Catch a Rainbow was
the 18th year of the event attracting
about 600 people in 4 days.
Prior to the swimming pool’s summer
season, the local swimming pool is
stocked with about 4,000 rainbow trout.
The trout are supplied by a South Dakota
Game, Fish & Parks (SDGFP) fish
hatchery. Each angler can catch––and
keep––up to 3 fish. The fish are then
cleaned and iced for the anglers. Many of
the participants have large fish feeds the
same evening at their facilities. SDGFP
staff, Outdoor Campus staff, and many
volunteers clean fish, haul buckets, and
assist the participants.
Aquatic education funds are used to
purchase bait, purchase and maintain
fishing equipment (which is also used for
other programs), purchase t-shirts for
volunteers, and provide staff hours at the
event.
September 2006 21
Members of the Minuteman Archery Club Range in Stoneville, South Dakota,
prior to renovation of the building for hunter education classes and simulated
hunting scenaros for students. Photo courtesy of South Dakota Game, Fish and
Parks.
Cold War Relic Benefits Archers Through
Hunter Education Program
The Minuteman Archery Club, located
near Stoneville, South Dakota, has
been working with the South Dakota
Department of Game, Fish & Parks
during the last 3 years to improve its
archery range. This range is unique as
it was formerly a Surplus Minuteman
Missile Control Facility near the Village
of Stoneville.
The Minuteman Archery Club has been
renovating the facility to accommodate its
use as an indoor archery. In 2004, the club
repaired or renovated the largest facility,
which will serve as the indoor archery
range. In 2005, renovation continued with
some sheetrocking and the purchase of
bows, compressed carpet targets, and
materials to construct a target stand and
backstop with a lighted base. In 2006, the
club is continuing renovations, building
storage shelves, purchasing 3-D range
targets, and maintaining the parking lot.
The archery range provides an
opportunity for the residents of
Stoneville and rural Meade County to
learn and practice archery skills. This
range also provides another recreational
opportunity in a remote community.
South Dakota
22 September 2006
Upper Yellowstone River
Basin Cutthroat Research ––
State Wildlife Grants
The last remaining refugia for pure
Yellowstone cutthroat trout (YSC),
under Wyoming Game and Fish
Department jurisdiction, are in the
upper Yellowstone River basin. Due to
the remote location of the Yellowstone
River upstream of Yellowstone Lake, no
systematic inventory of cutthroat trout
has been conducted. Several new threats
jeopardizing the YSC in the Yellowstone
River basin include lake trout recently
introduced into Yellowstone Lake,
whirling disease found in some
Yellowstone Lake tributaries, and the
introduction of New Zealand Mud snails
in nearby drainages. All of these threats
have the potential to negatively impact
native cutthroat trout populations in the
upper Yellowstone River watershed. The
work completed under a State Wildlife
Grant was directed toward determination
of seasonal movement patterns and
macrohabitat use of YSC within the
drainage and a basin wide survey of the
Yellowstone River upstream from the
confluence of Thorofare Creek.
To find answers to the habits of the
YSC, 152 fish were implanted with radio
transmitters to track their movement by
aerial and ground monitoring methods. A
total of 605 individual YSC locations were
documented including capture locations,
aerial telemetry locations, and ground
telemetry locations. After 2 years of
study, the fish movement was determined
to be a highly mobile spawning population
with one resident population verified to
date. One of the interesting results of the
monitoring showed that the spawning
run appears to begin quite early in the
spring––possibly when ice cover is still on
Yellowstone Lake.
Habitat site utilization was recorded for
future ground truthing and measurement
of habitat characteristics. During three
sampling trips, physical characteristics
of numerous main stem and tributary
streams were classified using the
Wyoming Habitat Assessment Method
(WHAM) and stream habitat features
measured. Level-one WHAMs were
conducted on all 11 major tributaries
in the Yellowstone River drainage
upstream from the confluence with
Thorofare Creek. Habitat features
such as stream substrate type, riparian
condition, barriers to fish migration and
upland habitat condition were recorded.
In addition, site scale and watershed
scale habitat attributes were collected
to conduct YSC presence probability
modeling. Barriers to fish movement
were located and YSC distribution was
disseminated for future entry into the
YSC Risk Assessment database.
The sampling corroborated the telemetry
findings. Very few adult YSC remain in
the upper Yellowstone River tributaries
later than July. The lack of adult YSC
present suggests that YSC inhabiting
the upper Yellowstone River tributaries
are almost entirely adfluvial. Only three
resident populations were observed.
Juvenile YSC emerge from gravels from
late June through August. The juveniles
reside in the stream for up to 3 years
before immigrating to Yellowstone Lake.
Neither New Zealand mud snails nor
Whirling Disease were found in the
Yellowstone River tributaries above the
Thorofare River.
Yellowstone cutthroat trout being fitted with radio transmitter.
Locating Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the upper Yellowstone River basin.
Wyoming
September 2006 23
Paddlefish and Others Benefit from Sport
Fish Restoration Program
The Missouri River Ecology Project
involves long-term monitoring and
research of fish populations and
their habitats in unchannelized and
channelized reaches of the Missouri
River bordering Nebraska. This project
has resulted in a large, long-term data
base that is used to develop management
recommendations by the Nebraska Game
and Parks Commission to fulfill its public
trust responsibilities. This database
has also been used to develop statistical
models relating biotic responses to
variables such as discharge, temperature,
and turbidity from Ft. Randall Dam,
South Dakota downstream to Rulo,
Nebraska. Results suggest that more
natural flow, temperature, and turbidity
regimes would benefit native fish and
invertebrate species in the Missouri
River. These results will also be used
in the adaptive management process
adopted by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service for recovery of the Missouri
River.
Paddlefish population data from this
study has been incorporated into the
Mississippi Interstate Cooperative
Resource Association’s multi-State,
multi-jurisdictional paddlefish study
completed in 2005. The study assessed
the condition of paddlefish stocks in the
lower Missouri River Basin. This project
also provided the data necessary for the
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
and the South Dakota Department of
Game, Fish and Parks to jointly manage
a sport harvest season for paddlefish in
a reach of Missouri River below Gavins
Point Dam. Results from this study
were used to recommend a protective
slot length limit and a harvest quota
for sustainable management of this
population.
Soon to be released are the results of a
Missouri River public use assessment
survey completed through a cooperative
effort between the Missouri Department
of Conservation and the Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission. This
public use survey was conducted on the
Missouri River from Gavins Point Dam
downstream 811 miles to the mouth of the
Missouri at St. Louis, Missouri. This is
the largest recreational user survey ever
attempted in the Midwest. This study
will not only provide information on the
number of users and their activities, but
will also measure the economic value that
public users place on this resource using
the Travel Cost and Contingent Value
methodologies. This social-economic
information is vital in any attempt to
develop long-term management plans for
the Missouri River.
Historically the Missouri River was one
of the most dynamic large rivers in North
America. This is one of many projects
along the Missouri River corridor
underway by the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission and various partners.
Paddlefish captured with seines, as part of a multi-state, multi-juridictional study of
the lower Missouri River, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Photo courtesy
of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Nebraska
24 September 2006
Wildlife Restoration Section 10 Funds
Assist in Improving Access to Shooting
Sports in Nebraska
Developed in 2004, the Nebraska
Shooting Range Grant Assistance
Program has been instrumental in
providing needed funds to Nebraska
shooting ranges. The bulk of the shooting
range support for Nebraska hunters
comes from club-style ranges that rely
on volunteer labor and donations to
maintain viability. The addition of Hunter
Education Section 10 funds has been
instrumental in enhancing Statewide
public access to safe and family friendly
range facilities. The range facilities
also provide hunter education students
a place to practice and improve their
shooting skills. Since the inception of the
program 20 projects have been funded
with $333,547 and include firearm and
archery ranges. Funded activities include
construction of trap and skeet houses,
berms, outdoor lights, range sidewalks,
overhead baffles, education classrooms,
equipment storage, and archery ranges.
Funding has also assisted in purchasing
associated equipment and includes 3-D
archery targets, bows, target arrows, and
skeet throwers.
In the community of Doniphan, the range
program assisted with the Nebraska
State Trap Association to renovate 24
trap houses and trap throwers at the
Doniphan Trap Range. The range is host
to the State Trap Shooting Championship
competition that included 1,700 student
competitors in 2006. A new trap house
with thrower was constructed in the
town of Cody to allow students to
practice their shotgun shooting skill.
Over 30 percent of the high school and
junior high students are involved in
the Nebraska State Trap Association
competitive trap program that takes
place in Doniphan. New and renovated
archery ranges were constructed at
Ponca State Park, Lower Big Blue
Natural Resource District, and the City
of Lincoln. Other communities receiving
funds for shooting range improvements
include Kearney, Crawford, Mitchell,
Omaha, Fremont, York, Grand Island,
Fremont, Crete, Papillion, and Jefferson
County. As a result of the program,
citizens in Nebraska are finding more
opportunities to participate in shooting
sports activities.
Nebraska Landowner Incentive
Program Tallgrass Prairie Restoration
The tallgrass prairie, a critically
imperiled ecosystem, is home to the
Federally threatened western prairie-fringed
orchid and vulnerable species
such as the Iowa skipper, Otto skipper,
regal fritillary, and massasauga
rattlesnake. Historically, habitat
conversion to cropland has been the
greatest threat to this ecosystem.
However, degradation of remaining
prairies due to inadequate management
practices and invasive plants now takes
precedence.
Nebraska is using the Landowner
Incentive Program (LIP) to connect
with private landowners in order to
rejuvenate unbroken tallgrass prairies
and guide ecologically and economically
sustainable management. The promoted
tools for tallgrass prairie management
include intensive prescribed grazing,
extensive periods of rest from grazing,
and prescribed burning. Appropriate
management is encouraged through
landowner seminars, personal
consultations, and cost-share projects
that support a diversity of native plant
and wildlife habitats.
Hunters of all ages can practice and improved their archery skills on ranges
constructed in natural settings. Photo courtesy of Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission.
Nebraska
September 2006 25
The removal of non-native cedar trees and other woody vegetation from native
grasslands in Nebraska, is allowing these grasslands to be restored and provide
significant habitat for wildlife. Photo courtesy of Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission.
Through LIP, positive collaborations have
developed between project coordinators
and landowners. Those efforts have
resulted in on-the-ground rare species
habitat projects and respectful dialogue
concerning rare species conservation.
LIP cost-share projects have directly
impacted nearly 10,000 acres of Nebraska
tallgrass prairie through prescribed
burning, invasive tree removal, and
improved grazing management. To
date, 45 cost-share projects have
been completed and 160 landowners
have received personal consultations
concerning rare species and sustainable
tallgrass management on their
properties.
Nebraska’s State Wildlife Grant
Program Efforts Receive National
Award for Scientific Excellence
In the Spring of 2006, the Nebraska
Natural Heritage Program, funded with
State Wildlife Grant Program funds,
received the National Award for Scientific
Excellence for its role in developing the
scientific methodology and data products
used in the Nebraska Natural Legacy
Project. The program was selected for
special recognition by NatureServe,
the nonprofit conservation group that
coordinated an international network
of 80 similar natural heritage programs
across the United States, Canada, and
Latin America.
The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project
is the first comprehensive plan ever
developed for wildlife and plants in
Nebraska. This planning effort was
guided by a 20-member partnership
team that included leaders from the
conservation and agricultural community,
nongovernmental organizations, and
the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska. The
partnership team represented many of
the entities and individuals that likely
would be involved with implementing the
blueprint developed. Four informational
meetings were held in each of 4
ecoregions across the State: Tallgrass
Prairie, Mixed grass prairie, Shortgrass
Prairie, and Sandhills. Information
gathered at 16 public meetings was
incorporated into the Legacy Plan.
Nebraska
26 September 2006
Salt Creek Tiger Beetle. USFWS
A service botanist looks after an endangered Western Prairie Fringed Orchid in
Nebraska. Fringed orchids are found in tallgrass prairies, most often in moist
habitats or sedge meadows, and require direct sunlight for growth. They persist in
areas disturbed by light grazing, burning, or mowing. Western Prairie Fringed
Orchids are known from northeastern Oklahoma, as well as locations in Kansas,
Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota. The greatest threat to the
species is conversion of tallgrass prairie to other land uses. Hollingsworth/USFWS
Within the four ecoregions, biologically
unique landscapes (BUL) were identified
that offer some of the best opportunities
for conserving the full array of biological
diversity in Nebraska. After approval of
the conservation strategy, the Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission moved
forward with additional public meetings
within BULs where infrastructure is
in place to begin cooperative projects.
Projects within the tallgrass prairie
include the Sandstone Prairies BUL,
Verdigre-Bazille Watershed BUL,
Loess Canyons BUL, and Central
Loess Hills BUL which are in various
stages of planning, development, and
implementation. Within the Sandstone
Prairies BUL and Verdigre-Bazille
Watershed BUL, cooperative projects
are underway in cooperation with
Natural Resources Conservation Service,
University of Nebraska at Lincoln
extension offices, Farm Service Agency,
Nature Conservancy, Natural Resource
Districts, and various other partners.
The initial 20-member partnership
team has determined the group will
remain intact and continue to promote
integration of the Legacy Plan in
activities across the State. Current
projects undertaken by the Nebraska
Game and Parks, focused by the Legacy
Plan, include Salt Creek Tiger Beetle
research and saline wetland restoration;
American Burying Beetle research and
land acquisition; Massasauga research;
and Landowner Incentive Program
private land restoration projects in the
Tallgrass, Shortgrass, and Mixed Grass
areas.
Nebraska
September 2006 27
In 2002, Montana began receiving
funding from the USFWS to address
species with unmet conservation needs
through State Wildlife Grants (SWG).
These funds support conservation
projects for species of greatest
conservation need, meaning those for
which biological information is lacking,
whose populations are in decline, or
that are at risk for decline. Through
this program, Montana has been
able to begin to address a number of
fisheries and wildlife conservation
needs that otherwise would have
gone unmet. The “Native Prairie
Fish Survey and Inventory” and the
“Statewide Small Mammal Survey
and Inventory” constitute 2 important
projects undertaken by Montana Fish,
Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) with State
Wildlife Grants funds. These projects
are consistent with Montana’s recently
approved Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategy.
State Wildlife Grant Program Assist
Essential Native Fish Survey and
Inventory
An analysis of Montana Fish, Wildlife
and Park’s (MFWP) Montana River
Information System (MRIS) database
in 2002 revealed that more than 4,200
streams comprising more than 18,000
stream miles (18 percent of the mapped
stream miles in Montana) had never been
surveyed. The overwhelming majority
of these waters are small warm-water
prairie streams located in the eastern
half of the State. Although these streams
offer little or no potential as a sport
fishery, there is a strong likelihood that
many of them contain intact, diverse
assemblages of native fish, reptiles and
amphibian species, at least during parts
of the year. A need existed to survey
these prairie streams to gain a greater
understanding of the fisheries and fauna
that occur there. This baseline data would
be critical in enabling resource managers
to better understand and manage prairie
species and their habitats.
Since then, SWG funding has been used
to survey hundreds of never-before-surveyed
prairie streams and riparian
habitat in Montana’s prairie region. The
third year of surveys was completed in
2005 when 515 sites were visited. Forty-three
percent of the sites sampled were
on private property. The remaining
sites were located on State of Montana,
Bureau of Land Management (BLM),
United States Fish and Wildlife Service,
or National Forest Service lands. Of the
515 sites, 285 were dry and 230 had water.
Fish were sampled at 170 of the wet sites
and no fish were found at the remaining
60 streams.
During 2005 surveys, 62,148 individual
fish representing 41 different species
were documented. Twenty-five of the
species are native to Montana and
the remaining 16 are introduced. The
common carp was the most commonly
encountered introduced fish (35 sites)
followed by the black bullhead (23 sites)
and green sunfish (21) sites. The fathead
minnow was the most highly distributed
fish, being sampled in 129 sites or 76
percent of the locations. The mean
number of fish species per site was 4.8
with the range numbering between 1 and
17 species per site. The most abundant
species sampled was the fathead minnow,
accounting for 36.3 percent of all fish
sampled. The brook stickleback and
plains minnow were the next most
abundant species, making up 7.26 percent
and 7.13 percent of the individuals
sampled, respectively.
Stream teams seining a prairie stream in eastern Montana.
Photo courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
A black bullhead captured during
seining of prairie streams in Montana.
Photo courtesy of Montana Fish,
Wildlife and Parks.
Montana
28 September 2006
Montana Region 4’s Teton River had 17
fish species documented which was the
largest number of fish species found at
a single site. The greatest number of
individual fish recorded at a single site
was 5,722 at Region 4’s Horse Thief
Coulee. Arrow Creek followed with 3,840
individual fish, consisting of 14 species.
Thirty-five of the streams contained
500 or more fish. Forty-seven percent
of the sites had 5 or more species of
fish, while the remaining 53 percent
contained 4 or fewer species. Thirty-three
sites contained only one species
of fish including the fathead minnow at
42 percent of the sites and the brook
stickleback at 12 percent of the sites.
State Wildlife Grant Funds Benefiting
Shrews, Voles and Jumping Mouse
Small mammals, including shrew,
voles, and mice, are some of the least
understood species groups in Montana.
While Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks
(MFWP) and other agencies conducted
prior surveys, a thorough and concerted
effort was needed to survey these species
across Montana’s broad spectrum of
habitats. In 2004, MFWP initiated a
3-year inventory project to provide a
current assessment of the occurrence,
status, and distribution of small mammals
across the State.
Focusing on areas that had received little
historic sampling effort, three survey
crews targeted MFWP lands while
conducting stratified random sampling of
habitats on surrounding lands. Sampling
priority was given to those areas and
habitats with little to no historical
information on the small mammal
community. Trapping lines were the
primary survey technique with additional
supplemental observations and surveys
providing data on other species groups
including bats, amphibians, reptiles, and
birds.
Crews started in eastern Montana and
will finish surveying the western portion
of the State this summer. With half of
the 2006 season completed, crews have
documented 27 of the 32 small mammal
species known to occur in Montana and
Northern Short-tailed shrew. Photo
courtesy of Phil Myers, University of
Michigan
expect more to be added before the
season concludes. Highlights include
a new species, the first documented
occurrence of the Northern Short-tailed
shrew in northeastern Montana; data
from 20 Arctic Shrews across 3 locations,
a species previously only recorded at
one location; significant records for the
following Montana Species of Concern
–– Sagebrush vole, Merriam’s shrew,
Pygmy shrew, Hayden’s shrew, and
Meadow jumping mouse. The project
has generated data on 5,010 individual
captures and 2,100 miscellaneous
observations of 240 species. These data
are a great resource for future species
distribution updates, baseline habitat
associations, Species of Concern status
reviews, and habitat conservation efforts.
Bull River/Lake Creek Habitat
Conservation Plan Acquisition
In 1996, Plum Creek Timber Company
(PCTC) began evaluating its land
holdings along rivers, wetlands and
streams in northwestern Montana
and has since classified some of these
holdings as “Higher and Better Use”
lands––or lands that have higher real
estate value than they do for timber
production. Montana Fish, Wildlife
& Parks (MFWP), along with other
agencies and organizations, have since
worked cooperatively with PCTC to
conserve the most critical of these lands
and to keep these valuable resources in
public ownership. One such parcel, known
as the Bull River/Lake Creek complex,
was identified by MFWP as its highest
priority for 2004 Habitat Conservation
Plan Land Acquisition (HCPLA) Grant
funding.
Prior to this, the State of Montana had
identified the Bull River as core bull
trout habitat and a priority watershed
for protection and restoration of
west-slope cutthroat trout, a “species
of special concern.” The State also
established a long-term goal to protect
and restore existing bull trout and west-slope
cutthroat trout populations and
associated habitats in the Bull River and
Lake Creek watersheds.
A view of the Bull River & Lake Creek Habitat Conservation Acquisition from the
Plum Creek Timber Company by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, using U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species grant funds. The Division of Federal
Assistance administers and manages these grant awards in coordination with the
Division of Ecological Services. Photo courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Montana
September 2006 29
In February of 2005, through a combined
effort involving MFWP, USFWS,
PCTC, the Avista Corporation and The
Conservation Fund, over 1,800 acres of
critical habitat within the Bull River/
Lake Creek Complex were transferred
to MFWP creating what is now the
Bull River Wildlife Management Area.
The site includes 1,285 acres that were
acquired with proceeds from a Habitat
Conservation Plan Land Acquisition
awarded to MFWP, along with a 40-
acre fee-title and 561-acre conservation
easement donation by the Avista
Corporation.
Tim Bodurtha, Supervisor in the USFWS
office in Kalispell, Montana, captured
the significance of the accomplishment:
“The creation of the Bull River Wildlife
Management Area is a great example of
how the HCP Land Acquisition Grant
Program has worked in Montana.
Through the efforts of a dedicated and
diverse group of partners, we have
conserved one of the most wildlife-rich
areas in the Bull River Valley for future
generations.”
Landowner Incentive Program and
State Wildlife Grant Program benefits
Tribal Conservation Efforts
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has
awarded competitive grants to 19 Tribes
in Region 6 totaling $7,741,319, since
2003. There have been 24 Tribal Wildlife
Grants (TWG – $4.9 million in Federal
funds and $1.4 million in matching
tribal funds) and 20 Tribal Landowner
Incentive Program (TLIP – $2.8 million
in Federal funds and $1.2 million in
matching tribal funds) awarded.
These competitive grants are used for
a variety of projects including: wildlife
surveys, inventories and associated
projects for mammals and furbearers,
black-footed ferrets, swift fox, grizzly
bears, wolves, and sage-grouse;
landowner stream restoration projects
for riparian and wetland creation and
restoration, noxious weed control
and prairie vegetation restoration;
development of comprehensive fish and
wildlife management plans, including
land use plans for native and endangered
species; acquisition of lands for wetland
and riparian restoration to benefit native
fish and grizzly bear habitat; and various
riverine endangered species habitat
developments and implementation of
management plans for fish and wildlife.
Two examples of completed grant
proposals:
The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe in South
Dakota was awarded a grant to restore
10 wetlands totaling 40 acres and to
create 10 wetlands totaling 60 acres on
the Lower Brule Reservation in South
Dakota. Creation and restoration of
wetland habitat will benefit high priority
species identified in the North American
Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA).
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai
Tribes of the Flathead Nation in Montana
were awarded a grant to study habitat
suitability for the possible reintroduction
of the Columbia sharp-tailed grouse,
an animal of high cultural significance
to the tribes. A strong native grassland
component still exists even though
much of the study area is impacted
by cheatgrass, spotted knapweed and
grazing. Overall, exotic species were
present at low percentages. The study
found that winter and nesting habitat
are spatially segregated and that only 5
percent of the study area contains winter
habitat. Overall, the study showed a very
limited amount of area currently suitable
for the grouse. The study identified
changes in current management
practices, such as fencing of riparian
zones from cattle use. The results of
the study will be used to increase the
probability of successful reintroduction
of the Columbia sharp-tailed grouse.
Sharp-tailed grouse. Bob Hines/USFWS
Montana
30 September 2006
Sport Fish Restoration Program
Improves Fishing Access
The Colorado Division of Wildlife
established the “Fishing Is Fun”
program almost 20 years ago to create
local partnerships for the improvement
of angling throughout Colorado. Since
then, the Fishing Is Fun (FIF) program
has funded more than 200 angling
improvement projects at rivers, streams,
ponds and lakes utilizing Sport Fish
Restoration Program funds and local
matching dollars. Local match has
averaged about 45 percent of total project
costs over the years, nearly doubling
the impact of Sport Fish Restoration
Program funds.
An example of FIF’s success lies in the
Town of the Silverthorne which is located
about 60 miles west of Denver and is
a gateway to many diverse mountain
recreation opportunities. The Blue River,
a “Colorado Gold Medal Fishery,” flows
through Silverthorne. It is noted for its
year-round fishing opportunities and
scenic beauty. As a result, it receives
heavy fishing pressure and other impacts
associated with human use. To address
this, the town applied to the Fishing
Is Fun program in 2004 for $120,000 to
improve fish habitat and angling access
along a three-quarter-mile stretch of the
river.
The town completed the project in
September 2005. Habitat improvements
included the installation of boulder
habitat clusters, shrub pockets, and
instream riffle/pool/glide sequences.
Angler access points were installed
along 3,000 feet of the access trail. These
improvements now allow anglers to move
beyond the upper section of the Blue
River in Silverthorne, reducing crowding
and dispersing angling pressure on the
river. It also provides anglers and others
with access to a scenic stretch of river
in an urban setting. As a local outdoor
writer described it, the project gave
“one of the most gorgeous rivers in all of
Colorado... a fishing-friendly face-lift” for
the benefit of all.
The Colorado Aquatic Animal Health
Program - Federal Aid Sport Fish
Restoration
The Colorado Division of Wildlife
(CDOW) Aquatic Animal Health
Program assists in the protection,
conservation, and management of
Colorado’s aquatic animal resources
through the monitoring, investigation,
and management of aquatic animal
health in State fish hatcheries, research
facilities, free-ranging public fisheries
and free-ranging aquatic animal
populations. CDOW also provides
diagnostics, research, regulated pathogen
inspections, and laboratory analysis for
aquatic animal resources in the private
sector. Aquatic animal health services
and management are an essential and
integral part of agency efforts to protect,
enhance, and restore Colorado’s aquatic
resources. Maintaining or improving
aquatic animal health helps insure the
stability of many populations, enable
the recovery of others, and improve the
quality of Colorado’s wildlife resources.
Using Federal Aid in Sport Fish
Restoration Act funds, the CDOW
Aquatic Animal Health Program
conducts the following aquatic resource
health activities:
n All agency fish health services
including diagnostics, regulated
pathogen inspections, and extension
services to CDOW’s 23 fish culture
facilities and 17 subunits, the State’s
wild fisheries, and more than 35
licensed commercial aquaculture
facilities (licensed under the
Department of Agriculture) across the
State of Colorado.
n All fish pathogen analyses, molecular
probes, and expertise for CDOW
fishery researchers, as well as,
independent fish health investigation
and research.
n Support and leadership in the
formulation of fish disease
management plans, policies, and
regulations to effectively protect
Colorado’s wildlife resources.
n Monitor and ensure regulatory
compliance with fish health
regulations.
Riverine restoration on the Blue River in Silverthorne, Colorado.
Photo courtesy of Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Colorado
September 2006 31
Colorado Combines LIP and SWG
Funds to Benefit Plovers, Owls, Eagles
and Frogs
The CDOW Aquatic Animal Health
Program consists of seven permanent
employees operating from laboratories
and headquarters in Brush, Colorado.
The unit serves Colorado’s free-ranging
fishery resources, as well as public and
private fish culture. Our staff works
on some 300 fish health cases a year,
including regulated salmonid disease
inspections, diagnostics, fish health
surveys, research analysis, and forensics.
In addition, biologists from the unit
provide guidance in setting fish health
regulations and policies and provide
input on the issuance and enforcement of
Aquatic Species Importation Licenses,
Aquaculture Permits, and related
permits. Special projects include a
Statewide survey of Aquatic Nuisance
Species and regular monitoring of
hatchery fish quality.
Wineinger-Davis Ranch,
Lincoln County, Colorado –
LIP and SWG in Colorado
The Colorado Division of Wildlife
(CDOW) acquired a conservation
easement of over 11,240 acres of native
shortgrass prairie and riparian habitat in
Southeastern Colorado. These habitats
and associated wildlife have declined due
to impacts from conversion of prairie to
agricultural, commercial, and residential
housing development. The easement
will provide permanent protection of
shortgrass prairie habitat and associated
Colorado wildlife species of concern,
while agricultural operations continue
on the Wineinger-Davis Ranch. Species
which will benefit include mountain
plovers, Plains leopard frogs, burrowing
owls, swift fox, Massasauga snakes,
ferruginous hawks, and bald eagles.
The Wineinger-Davis family applied
for the conservation easement through
the Colorado Species Conservation
Partnership Program (CSCP) established
by the CDOW. CSCP funding is derived
through Great Outdoors Colorado
lottery proceeds, Landowner Incentive
Program funding, State Wildlife Grant
funding, and landowner match. The
CSCP engages in cooperative efforts to
prevent the further decline of Colorado’s
wildlife species of concern, meet species
conservation goals of declining species in
the State, reduce the necessity of listing
of species under the Endangered Species
Act, and to down-list or delist threatened
and endangered species.
A view of the Wineinger-Davis Ranch Conservation Easement in southeastern Colorado.
Photo courtesy of Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Colorado
32 September 2006
Sport Fish Restoration Funds Improve
Local Access Sites and Fisheries
Community Fisheries Assistance
Program (CFAP)
Prior to 2005, the Kansas Department of
Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) conducted
surveys that indicated more than 25
percent of the State’s anglers preferred
to fish in small impoundments. The
survey also showed that approximately
120 communities in the State operated
about 220 bodies of water for public
fishing access. Nearly half of these
waters, however, required a local fee for
fishing in addition to the purchase of a
Kansas State Fishing License. Many
locations also required a fee for boating,
general access, or both. To remedy this,
the KDWP introduced the Community
Fisheries Assistance Program (CFAP) in
2005 to increase access to quality fishing
opportunities across Kansas.
CFAP is an ongoing program which
partners with cities, counties, and public
entities to enhance recreational fishing
opportunities and aquatic resources
by leasing the angling rights. The
program targets community lakes
because of their popularity with anglers
and the convenience of fishing close to
home. Many community lakes provide
fishing opportunities to urban residents
and rural anglers, while serving all
socioeconomic groups.
As smaller impoundments were generally
constructed for purposes other than
fishing, local participation also includes
KDWP assistance with fisheries
management, supplemental stockings,
and angling facilities to further enhance
fishing access and success. CFAP
participants receive an annual lease
payment; 75 percent of which must be
spent to operate and maintain the fishery
for anglers. This helped to eliminate local
permit fees on approximately 90 percent
of the waters targeted by CFAP in 2005.
To date, 115 communities have enrolled
203 lakes in the program totaling over
12,000 acres of water. Participating
communities were contacted at the end of
2005 for their evaluation of the program.
Nearly half of the program participants
reported increased number of anglers.
Overall satisfaction with the program
was rated as good to excellent, as was
the effectiveness of the program in
increasing opportunities for anglers.
Program costs totaled approximately $1
million for 2005 with local contributions
totaling $267,556 and Federal Aid in
Sport Fish Restoration funds amounting
to $802,669 making this program
100 percent reimbursable with no
out-of-pocket expense to the State.
Communities involved with CFAP have
shown a true financial dedication to
fisheries management and have helped
create successful partnerships between
Federal, State, and local governments
while increasing fishing access and
opportunity in Kansas.
Studying Distribution and Status of
Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles in
Kansas
For a number of years, biologists at
the Kansas Department of Wildlife and
Parks (KDWP) recognized a need for
a study of the State’s herpetofauna.
Herps are poorly understood compared
with other vertebrate groups in the
State. Relatively few studies have been
conducted on the status of amphibians,
Community Fisheries Assistance locations in Kansas.
reptiles, and turtles in Kansas and the
protection of prairie herpetofauna has
not received much attention. Fortunately,
Congress authorized the State Wildlife
Grants (SWG) program in 2001 and
appropriated money for State fish and
game agencies to focus on “species of
greatest conservation need.” Given this
opportunity, the KDWP began a project
in 2003 to study the distribution and
status of herpetofauna in Kansas.
Using SWG funds, the KDWP contracted
with a State university to survey these
important species for future research and
conservation efforts. The study extended
Statewide and focused on 5 objectives:
1) the identification of new localities for
imperiled species; 2) the determination of
population status estimates for imperiled
species; 3) the characterization of habitat
preferences for imperiled species;
4) the collection and curation of tissues
of Kansas’ amphibians, reptiles, and
turtles; and 5) the construction of an
online database system to serve both
management and education users.
The project was completed in 2005.
Among the results, the survey
recorded 14,831 new occurrences of
amphibians, reptiles, and turtles in
Kansas collected from 4,046 unique
sites. Site, latitude, longitude, date,
Kansas
September 2006 33
and time of collection were recorded
for each occurrence. Approximately
23 percent of the specimens have been
preserved as museum vouchers and
the remainders are in the form of the
recorded observation described above.
The project data was combined with
previously collected data in a Geographic
Information System to characterize
each species’ general habitat. An on-line
accessible database (the Kansas Herp
Atlas; available at http://webcat.fhsu.
edu/ksfauna/herps) was created to store
all project data. The website is useful
for both general education and wildlife
management.
The survey information has given KDWP
biologists a greater understanding of
the distribution and natural history of
Kansas herpetofauna, contributing to a
long-term goal of identifying species in
“greatest need of information.” Findings
will also provide additional support for
policy directives, regulatory decisions,
and species management. The internet-based
database system will provide
instantaneous access of data by wildlife
officials, managers, and researchers.
Community Fisheries Assistance completed project with a floating fishing pier in
Kansas. Photo courtesy of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Seining for amphibians, reptiles and turtles in an intermittent flow stream in
Kansas. Photo courtesy of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Looking for signs of reproduction,
including eggs and juveniles of
amphibians, reptiles and turtles in
a sample of pooled stream water in
Kansas. Photo courtesy of Kansas
Department of Wildlife and Parks.
A group of snakes found in one location of the amphibian, reptile and turtle survey
in Kansas. Photo courtesy of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Kansas
34 September 2006
Wildlife Restoration Program Opens
125,000 Acres of Private Land to Hunters
As the population continues to become
more urban, fewer Kansas residents
have easy access to land for hunting.
In addition, there’s very little public
land in Kansas. Only 340,000 acres (or
0.6 percent) of Kansas land and water
are owned or managed by the Kansas
Department of Wildlife and Parks
(KDWP). Of these 340,000 acres, only
277,000 are open to public hunting. Of
additional concern, there is a growing
trend for landowners to lease their
properties for private hunting, which
further reduces available public access
for urban residents. This shortage of
hunting access has been identified as the
major factor in the decline in hunting,
and consequently, hunting license sales.
The KDWP established the Walk-In-
Hunting Access Program (WIHA) to
address public hunting access. Since its
inception in 1994, WIHA has proven to
be very successful. Annually, over 2,000
landowners have enrolled more than 1
million acres in 101 of the State’s 105
counties for the fall WIHA season; during
the spring turkey portion of the program,
more than 125,000 acres in 60 counties
have been leased. Landowner response
continues to exceed expectations for
both fall WIHA and spring turkey
hunting access properties. As response
has increased, the type of habitat cover
enrolled continues to diversify. Waterfowl
feeding areas, rangeland, and riparian
areas are becoming available and readily
utilized by constituents.
As part of the program, approximately
130,000 atlases are produced annually
for the fall season and an additional
35,000 copies are printed for the spring
turkey season. The atlases show the
location of the tracts and the regulations
that apply to each area. An atlas index
lists the major game species likely to be
encountered on each tract which enables
hunters to select the areas according to
their hunting preferences. Atlases are
also available to constituents over the
KDWP Web site in downloadable and
printable formats.
A young hunter in the walk-in hunting area brings home a turkey. Photo courtesy of
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Juveniles hunting pheasant with their dog, display the results of their hunting
success on private land. Their hunting experience was made possible through the
Kansas Hunting Access to Private Land, through the use of Wildlife Restoration Act
funds. Photo courtesy of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Kansas
September 2006 35
Hunter Education Funds Warm Up
North Dakota Winters
When the Minot Rifle and Pistol Club
purchased a 120-acre parcel of land for
an outdoor shooting range, they dreamed
of one day building an indoor state-of-the-
art 25-meter gun range. The winter
climate on the plains of North Dakota
allows use of the outdoor range for only a
few months of the year, while the addition
of an indoor range would provide year-round
enjoyment.
With the help of a grant from the North
Dakota Game and Fish Department
under the Wildlife Restoration Act, this
group of 500 shooting enthusiasts rallied
their forces and built their dream. The
indoor shooting range facility has a
classroom, an Action Target backstop
that will handle most calibers, and is
set up to facilitate use by folks with
disabilities. This collaboration has
provided a safe, functional, and suitable
structure to shoot firearms for many
generations to come.
State Wildlife Grant Program Helps
with Pelican Mystery
The white pelicans of Chase Lake are
disappearing by the thousands and no
one knows why. Over 4 days in May
of 2004, the number of white pelicans
at the lake dropped from 27,000 to 80,
and thousands of eggs and chicks were
left unattended and dying. In 2005,
18,000 adult pelicans returned to Chase
Lake for nesting. Everything seemed
to have returned to normal until July,
when dead white pelican chicks were
discovered — 8,000 at last count — and
the adults again abandoned the area.
State Wildlife Grants are being used
to help unravel this mystery, as well as
to gather basic data on white pelican
behavior. Understanding why these birds
are disappearing is important to us all,
because the health of wildlife can be an
early indicator of disease and pollution
that affect us all.
Boating Access––
Come Drought or High Water
Tourism and recreation is North Dakota’s
second largest industry. Fishing and
boating are an integral and important
part of everyday life. Although North
Dakota’s population has remained
relatively stable, fishing license sales
and boat registration numbers are up
significantly. As a result, excitement
and participation in fishing and boating
have surged and the sporting public is
demanding the development of additional
facilities to help meet those needs.
The North Dakota Game and Fish
Department continues to coordinate and
work with local interests in developing
and upgrading a wide variety of boating
and fishing related facilities at more
than 250 recreation lakes throughout
the State. The Department’s “Fisheries
Development Out-Grant Program”
has proven to be an effective system
in administering Federal Aid from the
Sport Fish Restoration Program to
local communities. Through cooperative
efforts with local partners, the
department provides more than a million
dollars annually to construct, upgrade
and maintain facilities.
The success of this cost-share program
is due largely to the involvement and
cooperation of the local communities
who volunteer thousands of hours
and work diligently to raise matching
funds to construct and maintain these
facilities. Many of the fishing waters
are surrounded by private lands, and
landowners almost always donate the
land necessary for development of the
boating access and recreation site. In
recent years, the department has faced
the challenge of providing access to
drought-stricken waters in one part
of the State while, at the same time,
combating record high water levels in
other parts.
Golden Eagles Benefit from State
Wildlife Grant Program
The status of golden eagles in North
Dakota is unclear, but many eagle nests
in the State do not have eagles living
in them. A U.S. Forest Service study
of factors that might negatively affect
nesting golden eagles on the grasslands
was expanded with State Wildlife Grant
money to include surrounding lands,
making this the first comprehensive
study on the subject. Information from
this research project will allow biologists
to determine the status of golden eagles
and make informed wildlife management
decisions, allowing the most cost-effective
path to golden eagle conservation.
Dakota Waters Boating Access in North
Dakota. Photo courtesy of North Dakota
Game and Fish Department.
North Dakota
Golden eagle. USFWS
36 September 2006
Section 6 Funds Preserve a Unique
Corner of the World in Utah
In the southwestern corner of Utah,
three unique ecoystems, the Mojave
Desert, the Great Basin, and the
Colorado Plateau, merge to provide a
biologically rich and unique mixture
of wildlife and vegetation in a setting
of spectacular red desert and rock
formations. Combine that with year-round
sunshine and outstanding
recreational opportunities and you
get the second fastest growing
city in the country––St. George. In
1996, Washington County and local
communities recognized the need to
preserve the natural resources that
attract so many people to the area
while allowing planned development.
Working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, the communities produced
the Washington County Habitat
Conservation Plan and created the Red
Cliffs Desert Reserve, a 62,000-acre
scenic wildlife reserve set aside to protect
the Federally threatened desert tortoise
and other rare and sensitive plants and
animals. Just a tiny representation of
the diversity of the animals found in this
Reserve includes the kit fox, mule deer,
gila monster, chuckwalla, bald eagle,
and Virgin River chub. The Reserve
also supports habitat for the Federally
listed southwestern willow flycatcher and
Mexican spotted owl.
Utah, working in collaboration with
the States of Nevada, Arizona, and
California, identified other key habitats
outside the Reserve that need protection.
The unprecedented growth in the area
has caused land prices to skyrocket, so
Utah tapped into a grant program under
the Endangered Species Act to help
supplement the Reserve with fee title
acquisitions and conservation easements
protecting another 1,350 acres of habitat.
Desert tortoise habitat at the Red Desert Reserve, Utah. USFWS
Desert tortoise on the Red Desert Reserve
in Utah. USFWS
Utah
September 2006 37
Landowner Incentive Program Funds
Assist with Conserving Ranching and
Sagebrush Habitat
The Selman Ranch property, located in
the foothills of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains,
consists of 6,722 acres of sagebrush
grasslands and old growth Douglas‑fir
forest. It provides important habitat
for Columbian sharp-tailed grouse,
Bonneville cutthroat trout, northern
goshawks, at least 5 species of bats, and
several migratory bird species. The
property also provides 4,300 acres of
crucial winter habitat for mule deer and
elk. A conservation easement has been
established with the landowner to protect
in perpetuity the significant agricultural,
natural, and open space values of this
property.
In an unusual twist, the Utah Department
of Agriculture, rather than the State
wildlife agency, is holding the conservation
easement. Grazing and pasturing of
livestock will continue on the ranch, using
best management practices to maintain
or improve habitat conditions. Pesticides
will be allowed to control noxious weeds
that compete against both agricultural
crops and native vegetation. This
innovative approach marks the beginning
of integrated ranch land protection and
conservation in this part of Utah for the
benefit of a variety of wildlife resources.
Pinyon-juniper control in Utah’s Basin Range. Photo courtesy of UDWR.
Aerial seeding in Utah’s Basin Range. Photo courtesy of UDWR.
Utah
38 September 2006
Sensitive Species Program Implemented
with State Wildlife Grant Program
Funds
State Wildlife Grants in Utah are being
used to conserve wildlife and vital natural
areas by restoring habitat, monitoring
and managing wildlife, and improving
stewardship on both public and private
lands. Five biologists, hired with State
Wildlife Grant funds, participate in
wildlife rehabilitation programs and
research projects that will assist in
providing cost-effective solutions to
management questions. The biologists
are also testing for West Nile Virus and
other diseases. This project is allowing us
to identify and prevent problems before
they threaten wildlife, and because
wildlife health can be an early indicator
of disease and pollution that can affect
humans as well.
Managing Dixie harrow habitat. DWR
Pygmy rabbit.
Utah
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Division of Federal Assistance
http://www.fws.gov

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Sport Fish and Wildlife
Restoration and
Associated Grant
Programs
Program Update September 2006
Including a Special Highlight Section
of the Mountain-Prairie Region
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Table of
Contents
Comments from Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration Programs.................................................................................................................1
Comments from Mitch King, Regional Director, Region 6....................................................3
News Section..............................................................................................................................5
Staff Directory, Federal Assistance, Washington, D.C. Office............................................8
Federal Assistance Program – Overview...............................................................................9
Focus on Specific Programs and Activities..........................................................................10
Landowner Incentive Program..............................................................................10
State Wildlife Grants...............................................................................................10
FY 2007 National Coastal Wetlands Grant Program.........................................11
Boating Infrastructure Grant Program...............................................................11
Clean Vessel Act Grant Program Being Evaluated.............................................12
State Audits...............................................................................................................14
FAIM/FBMS.............................................................................................................14
Multistate Conservation Grant Program.............................................................15
Western Native Trout Initiative............................................................................15
International Instream Flow Program Initiative..............................................15
Sage-Grouse Interstate Working Group...............................................................15
The National Federal Assistance Training Program.........................................15
National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation...16
Special Highlight Section of Mountain-Prairie Region.................................................... 21
September 2006
Since joining the Federal Assistance
program this spring, I am renewing
long-standing partnerships and forming
new relationships with supporters of
the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
Programs. I am truly impressed with the
complexity of our mission and with the
wide support we enjoy from our partners.
This Update provides a detailed report on
the myriad of projects and their progress
toward achieving Program goals and
further highlight the marvelous job
that the Federal Assistance is doing to
encourage and foster partnerships. The
key word is “partnership.” Partners are
becoming increasingly more important
and integral to restoring and enhancing
fish and wildlife and the habitats upon
which they depend.
Prime examples are found in
the challenges of implementing
approved State Wildlife Action Plans.
Implementation will require not only the
concerted effort of the States and the
Service, but also a willingness to seek
out and secure the support from new
partners. There are no boundaries on the
partners that can and will be interested
in cooperative conservation. Help from
the conservation community, from
members of industry and manufacturing
firms, from scientists and academicians
will be necessary. The skill sets from the
traditional disciplines of natural resource
management will be brought to bear
on solving the identified conservation
challenges in these Plans, as well as new
talents needed to inform and engage the
public in restoration plans and to monitor
and track successes.
In the spirit of encouraging cooperative
conservation, the Federal Assistance
Program is helping to raise the visibility
of approved plans, both within the
Service as well as with other Federal
Agencies. We welcome a wide distribution
and application of the State Wildlife
Action Plans to provide traditional and
future cooperators with opportunities
to assist in meeting Statewide and
regional goals and to leverage limited
resources to reach common goals. The
synergy is exciting to contemplate and
we are committed to facilitating such new
opportunities.
In the spirit of fostering cooperative
conservation through the grant
programs funded through the Wildlife
and Sport Fish Restoration Programs,
we are setting the stage for preparing a
Strategic Plan for the Wildlife and Sport
Fish Restoration Programs. We will
explore new ways to create efficiencies
in delivery, and to enhance confidence in
(and support for) the quality of grants
management in the Service. We look
forward to providing a road map to the
future for the Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration Programs––a road map that
benefits from diverse perspectives, fresh
ideas and deliberative suggestions.
I sincerely look forward to meeting the
challenges of cooperative conservation
through the Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration Programs. Let me start on
that path by welcoming you to engage
with us by taking in the accomplishments
we proudly display in this Program
Update. I look forward to hearing
the thoughts and ideas that come to
mind as you consider these Programs,
their delivery and their contributions
to benefiting sport fish and wildlife
resources.
Comments from
Assistant Director
for Sport Fish
and Wildlife
Restoration
Programs
Rowan Gould
facing page photo: Wineinger-Davis Ranch,
Lincoln County, Colorado
September 2006
This edition of the Federal Assistance
Program Update highlights the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service’s Mountain-Prairie
Region which includes the States of
Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and
Wyoming. This Region contains a diverse
variety of habitats and landscapes
which capture the mind and soul of the
observer. The Region stretches from the
banks of the Missouri River west to the
desert border of Utah, from the prairies
of Kansas north to the Canadian border
of North Dakota and Montana. The
Region contains such beauty as captured
in “America the Beautiful” written by
Katharine Lee Bates in 1893 while on a
trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado, from
the top of Pike’s Peak. She said, “All the
wonder of America seemed displayed
there, with the sea-like expanse.” The
view was so beautiful that it inspired
her to write the song that is considered
by some to be the country’s unofficial
national anthem. Remember the
words, “Oh beautiful for spacious skies,
for amber waves of grain, for purple
mountains majesty above the fruited
plains…” this is the Mountain-Prairie
Region.
The Region encompasses approximately
20 percent of the total land mass of
the contiguous U.S. According to the
Service’s 2001 National Survey, over
10.2 million residents of the Region
participate in wildlife recreation activities
(about 74 percent of the population).
It is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream come
true with a unique and dynamic array
of wildlife and sport fish opportunities.
Watching bald eagles soar along the front
range of the Rockies, seeing pronghorn
antelope dash up to 60 miles per hour in
the grasslands, listening to the croaking
of toads in playa lakes filled after a
thunderstorm, and being enchanted at
the stable footing of bighorn sheep and
mountain goats along cliffs are just part
of the experiences that await visitors.
Fishing for native trout in clear, clean
mountain creeks and rivers, and angling
for largemouth bass, walleye and other
warm water fish in the numerous man-made
reservoirs, makes the Region a
recreation paradise for residents and
tourists alike. Elk, mule deer and white
tailed deer attract thousands of hunters
to Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and
Utah. Hunting birds such as quail, dove
and pheasant brings joy to thousands
of hunters in North and South Dakota,
Nebraska and Kansas. Amphibians,
birds, fish, mammals and reptiles that
coexist in complex and diverse habitats
and trophic relationships are diverse
and plentiful. There are 56 listed species
and 30 candidate species in the region
including the bald eagle, black-footed
ferret, gray wolf, grizzly bear, lynx, and
pallid sturgeon.
The Mountain-Prairie Region is
committed to fulfilling its responsibilities
to its trust resources and the American
people through partnerships. The
Division of Federal Assistance works
Comments from
Regional Director,
Mountain-Prairie
Region 6
Mitch King
Regional Director, Mitch King together
with Rob Olson of Delta Waterfowl and
Roger Holevoat, Project Leader on the
Devil’s Lake Wetland Management
District during a field review of this
WMD in North Dakota. USFWS
facing page photo: Lake Dillon,
Summit County, Colorado
Regional Director, Mitch King and Rob Olson, President of Delta Waterfowl viewing
Gadwall eggs on the Devil’s Lake Wetlands Management District in North Dakota.
This is an example of the Regional Directors commitment to Partnerships. USFWS
September 2006
closely with the 8 States, 37 Federally
recognized tribes, and others to make
resources available through 9 grant
programs:
1. Pittman-Robertson Wildlife
Restoration Act, with Hunter
Education grants;
2. Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish
Restoration Act, with Aquatic
Education grants;
3. Endangered Species Grant Program;
4. Clean Vessel Act Program;
5. State Wildlife Grant Program;
6. Landowner Incentive Program;
7. Tribal Wildlife Grant Program;
8. Tribal Landowner Incentive Program;
9. Boating Infrastructure Grant
Program.
These grants provide aquatic and
hunter education; hunting and
fishing opportunities; boating access;
habitat acquisition and protection of
habitat through fee title acquisition
and conservation easements; access
for hunting and wildlife watching
through walk-in programs with private
landowners; production of sport fish in
State hatcheries; surveys and research
on fish and wildlife species; technical
guidance, planning and coordination;
habitat creation and restoration efforts
for species enhancement; and recovery
of endangered and threatened species.
The Service’s grant programs assist
each State or Tribe achieve its own
objectives while contributing to national
conservation goals.
In the Mountain-Prairie Region, there
is a significant difference in the amount
of private versus public land ownership.
The Great Plains States of North
Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and
Kansas have a greater percentage of
private lands (up to 90 percent in North
and South Dakota), and thus, rely on
private landowners for wildlife habitat
and populations. The Rocky Mountain
States of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado
and Utah have a significantly greater
public land ownership. In these States,
about 60 percent of all land ownership
is private. The immense 40 percent of
public lands offers vast resources for
wildlife and the American public. The
Landowner Incentive program, the State
Wildlife program and their component
Tribal programs, along with Endangered
Species grants provide the Service
with unparalleled opportunities and
challenges to work with States, Tribal
and local governments; and private
landowners to benefit the diverse array of
“species of greatest conservation need.”
Species of greatest conservation need
are determined by the States. Examples
include the greater sage grouse, Utah
prairie dog, leatherside chub, Northern
leopard frog and the Gila monster.
There are 37 Federally recognized
tribes in the Region with an estimated
population of 204,234 persons living on
9,456,551 acres of tribal lands. Habitats
found on reservations and tribal lands
contain unique environments for wildlife.
The legacy and relationship of plant and
animal communities to tribal cultures
are significant. The Division of Federal
Assistance works with the Region’s
Tribal Liaison to fund and administer
projects proposed by Native American
communities and Tribes. Since the
creation of the Tribal Wildlife Grant and
Tribal Landowner Incentive Program
grant programs in 2002, 44 competitive
grants have been awarded to 19 Tribes,
in the amount of $8 million.
In this publication, you will read
about some of the activities and
accomplishments funded through the
Division of Federal Assistance. I am
proud of the partnerships that have been
made in the Region among the Service,
the States and the Tribes. We look
forward to creating new partnerships
and improving on existing partnerships
for the positive needs of fish and wildlife
and the people who use and enjoy these
resources.
September 2006
News Section
New Leadership
and New Employees
at the Washington
Office
Pam Matthes was selected in April as
the Deputy to both the Assistant Director
for Migratory Birds and to the Assistant
Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration Programs. She comes to
both these programs after having served
in the Division of Federal Assistance as
special assistant to the Division Chief and
also the Multistate Conservation Grant
Program Coordinator.
Pam Matthes has worked among a wide
variety of natural resource management
programs throughout the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS), the National
Park Service (NPS) and the Department
to protect and restore sensitive fish
and wildlife habitat affected by special
projects. Pam began her career with
the FWS by working in the Office of
Biological Services, which later became
known as Ecological Services, where she
served as a Fish and Wildlife Biologist
providing protective stipulations
governing oil and gas development on
the outer continental shelf. Pam used
knowledge gained in ES and moved to
the Division of Refuge Management,
where she designed protective
stipulations governing the development
of private oil and gas rights in select units
of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
She also worked on special projects,
such as geothermal exploration in the
Arctic NWR. While in Refuges, Pam also
worked on significant land exchanges
affecting units of both the National
Wildlife Refuge System and the National
Park System in Alaska.
From her work in Refuges, Pam joined
the NPS where she assisted Park
Superintendents with protecting natural
resources during energy development
of privately owned mineral rights.
She later joined the Water Resources
Division to enhance the wetlands
protection and natural resource damage
assessment programs of the NPS.
During her last year with the NPS and
before returning to the FWS, Pam was
the Special Assistant to the Assistant
Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and
Parks and assisted the National Park
Service in strengthening its scientific
capabilities to manage fish and wildlife
resources in parks. During her time in
the Assistant Secretary’s Office, Pam
secured legislative protection for the
hydrothermal resources of Crater Lake
National Park from adjacent geothermal
development, for which she was awarded
the Department’s Honor Award for
Superior Service.
After serving nearly 3 years as the
Deputy Chief of the Division of Federal
Assistance (FA), Jim Greer was
announced as the new Chief, replacing
Kris LaMontagne who retired in
March of 2006. Prior to coming to the
Washington Office he served as a Branch
Chief in the FA program in Region 1
(Portland, Oregon). He came to the
Service following 26 years working for
the Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife (ODFW). After a 10 year stint in
the field as a wildlife biologist, Jim was
promoted to the ODFW headquarters
office and served as the Wildlife Division
Chief for 5 years. In 1997 he was
selected as the agency Director. In that
capacity, and as a member of the Service
Regulations Committee, Pacific Flyway
Council, and President of the Western
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
he worked closely with the Service on
waterfowl issues, listings of salmon,
trout and various nongame species,
and addressing landscape level habitat
protection issues.
“It’s and honor to be selected as the
Chief of Federal Assistance,” Greer
said. “This program has come a long
way in the last several years and is
now looked to for its expert knowledge
and understanding of complex grants
September 2006
management issues and having a very
efficient and effective business model that
has stood the test of countless audits and
review procedures. Our role in delivering
over $600 million annually in grants to
State Fish and Wildlife Agencies for
conservation activities throughout the
country is a huge responsibility. Our team
of managers, biologists, support staff and
grant, fiscal, training and IT specialists
continue to provide excellent service and
stand ready to take on new challenges at
both the regional and Washington Office
levels.”
In May 2006, John Stemple assumed the
position of the Multistate Conservation
Grant Program coordinator within the
Federal Assistance Division Washington
Office.
John earned a Bachelor of Science
degree in biology from the University
of Pittsburgh and completed a
Master’s Degree in fisheries biology
from the University of Rhode Island
with additional core course work in
oceanography.
He began his Federal career working as
a biologist for the U.S. Forest Service
at the Southeastern Forest Experiment
Station, University of Virginia,
Blacksburg, Virginia, surveying cold
water streams for fish populations and
habitat in the southern Appalachian
Mountains including Great Smoky
Mountains National Park in 1992. In
addition, he worked as a volunteer fishery
biologist for the Virginia Department of
Game and Inland Fisheries doing similar
work.
In 1993, he worked as a fishery biologist
for the National Marine Fisheries
Service, Habitat and Protected
Resources Division in Oxford, Maryland.
He served on several workgroups, such
as Fish Passage, Habitat Restoration,
and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation for
the Chesapeake Bay Program.
In 2001, he began his career with the
USFWS at the Athens, GA Ecological
Services Field Office. His major duties
included FERC hydropower and
DOT project review. He also provided
technical guidance in stream morphology,
description, erosion control and fish
habitat improvement.
In June, 2002, he assumed
responsibilities as a FWS fishery
biologist/grant manager under the
Federal Assistance Grants program
in the Atlanta Regional Office. He
coordinated approximately 75 Sport Fish
Restoration grants among five States
in the Southeast and acted as program
manager for the Coastal Wetlands
Conservation Grant program.
September 2006
Tom McCoy joined the Division in
August 2006 as staff to the Policy Branch.
His responsibilities will include updating
Service manual chapters and regulations.
He graduated from Columbus State
University 1996, with a B.S. in Biological
Science and completed course work
toward a M.S. in Environmental Science
in 2002.
Tom began his career in 1996, at
Mead Coated Board (Mead-Westvaco)
Woodlands Division as a Forestry/GIS
technician where he performed GIS
field work, installed research plots while
cruising timber, and researched deer
populations and forage preference in
Alabama. In 1999, Tom relocated to the
City of Griffin, Georgia where he worked
as an Environmental Technician/Urban
Forester. While in Griffin, he dealt with
water quality and environmental issues
related to construction and stormwater,
as well as reviewing and inspecting site
plans.
His urban forestry duties included the
inspection and maintenance of 12,000 city
Christy Kuczak has also joined the
Federal Assistance Washington Office.
She will serve as a grants management
specialist in the Branch of Grant
Operations and Policy. Christy comes
to us from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture in the Cooperative State
Research, Education, and Extension
Service (CSREES) where she was
a Program Specialist. She managed
formula and competitive grant
programs for research, education, and
extension primarily at Land Grant
Universities around the U.S., including
the Historically Black Universities
and Colleges, Tribal Colleges, and
Hispanic Serving Institutions. While at
CSREES, she specialized in programs
in the natural resources area, with
most of her work focusing on programs
in forestry, sustainable development,
ecology, rangeland management, fish
and wildlife. Her experience in strategic
planning, the PART process, facilitation,
and building partnerships will likely
carry over into her duties with FWS. She
received various awards for her work
related to diversity, strategic planning,
and electronic grants. She has an M.S.
in Soil and Crop Sciences from Cornell
University with her thesis work on
agroforestry systems and the influence of
agroforestry trees and large earthworms
on soil fertility of the Brazilian Amazon.
She also earned a B.S. in Environmental
and Plant Biology from Ohio University.
Christy Kuczak with a green sea turtle,
Chelonia mydas, that is nesting in
Singer Island, Florida.
trees, writing the city’s tree ordinance,
and serving as a member of the tree
board. In 2001, Tom took a position as
the Land Condition Trend Analysis
coordinator at Fort Benning, Georgia
where he inventoried and monitored
Army training land resources such as
vegetation, avian, faunal, and soil studies.
He provided the installation with
technical expertise from his findings such
as summary reports, monthly reports,
briefings, meetings, and presentations
to support land management decisions.
In early 2002, he also assumed the
responsibilities of the GIS Program
Analyst, providing maps for the
installation using ArcGIS and ArcView.
In June 2002, Tom accepted a wildlife
biologist position with the USFWS
Division of Federal Assistance-Southeast
Region in Atlanta, Georgia where he
manages the technical overview of grant
programs for 5 States in the region.
He also manages all Hunter Education
Program Grants for the Region
and conducts technical reviews and
processing of projects from State
grantees receiving Federal Assistance
Funds (under Pittman-Robertson Wildlife
Restoration Act, Dingell-Johnson Sport
Fish Restoration Act, State Wildlife
Grants, Landowner Incentive Program,
Endangered Species Act, and Wildlife
Conservation and Restoration Program)
to ensure that these projects are
substantial in character and design and in
accordance with the Federal Assistance
Manual, Policy Statements, Executive
Orders, and Office of Management and
Budget Circulars.
Tom has been married for 4 years
and has an 18-month-old son. Tom’s
hobbies include hunting and fishing,
golf, baseball/softball, video games, and
spending time with his wife and son.
September 2006
Rowan Gould, Assistant Director for
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
Programs
Pam Matthes, Deputy Assistant Director
for Migratory Birds and Wildlife and
Sport Fish Restoration
Jim Greer, Division Chief
Vacant, Deputy Division Chief -
Operations
Doug Gentile, Civil Rights Coordinator
for Public Access
Jimmye Kane, Lead Secretary
John Stemple, Multistate Conservation
Grants Coordinator
Vacant, Secretary
Branch of Budget and Administration
Tom Jeffrey, Branch Chief - Budget
Development and Execution -
Program Management
Mary Grieco, Administrative Officer
Vacant, Program Support Assistant
Vacant, Program Analyst
Branch of Information Management
Lori Bennett, Branch Chief
Vacant, Fiscal Management -
Audit Liaison
Ed Duda, System Developer
Michele Storz, IT Specialist
Jeffrey Graves, Server Support -
Web Site Support
Pete Hitchcock, Network Engineer,
Security Officer
C. J. Huang, Database Administrator
Sandie Lehberger, Administrative
Technician
David Washington, ADP Systems
Support - ADP Acquisition Support
Debbie Wircenske, Help Desk, Quality
Assurance, Fiscal Administration and
Training
Luther Zachary, FAIMS Branch Chief
Branch of Grants Operations and Policy
Tom Barnes, Branch Chief
Brian Bohnsack, Sport Fish Restoration,
Clean Vessel Act - Boating Infrastructure
Grants
Kim Galvan, Regulations - Support staff
for Joint Federal/State Task Force for
Federal Assistance
Genevieve Pullis-LaRouche, State Wildlife
Grants - Landowner Incentive Program
Christy Kuczak, Coastal Wetlands
Tom McCoy, Federal Assistance Manual
Review, Rulemaking
Branch of Audits
Vacant, Branch Chief - Audits
Ord Bargerstock, Acting Branch Chief,
Systems Accountant - Audit Resolution
Branch of Surveys
Sylvia Cabrera, Branch Chief -
National Survey of Fishing, Hunting
and Wildlife-Associated Recreation
Richard Aiken, Economist -
National Survey
Jerry Leonard, Economist -
National Survey
Branch of Training
Steve Leggans, Branch Chief
Julie Schroyer, Administrative Analyst
Debbie Unbehagen, Grants Management
Specialist (Instructor)
Scott Knight, Grants Management
Specialist (Instructor)
Staff Directory
Federal Assistance
Washington DC
Office
Federal Assistance Main Phone Number
703/358 2156
Web Address
http://federalaid.fws.gov
September 2006
Federal Assistance
Program Overview
The goal of the Federal Assistance
program is to work with States to
conserve, protect, and enhance fish,
wildlife, their habitats, and the hunting,
sport fishing, and recreational boating
opportunities they provide. The Federal
Assistance Program is responsible for
administering the following Programs:
n Wildlife Restoration
n Sport Fish Restoration
n Clean Vessel Act
n Boating Infrastructure Grants
n National Coastal Wetlands
Conservation Grants
n Multistate Conservation Grants
n State Wildlife Grants
n Landowner Incentive
n Hunter Education and Safety
Program
In addition, Federal Assistance
provides grant management support
for endangered species traditional
section 6, Habitat Conservation Plan
(HCP) Land Acquisition, HCP Planning,
and Recovery Land Acquisition grant
programs. The following is an update
on the accomplishments of the Federal
Assistance program and its partners with
these grant programs.
10 September 2006
Landowner Incentive Program
In August, 39 State and territorial
wildlife agencies were notified that they
would receive a 2006 LIP grant. Of these
States, 37 received a Tier I grant to
help initiate or improve existing efforts
dealing with private lands. Individual
Tier I grants ranged in value from almost
$69,000 to $180,000. Another 17 States
received Tier II grants to help pay for
specific projects. The value of Tier II
grants varied from $436,000 to over
$945,000.
Following 2007 budget deliberations,
both the House and Senate Conference
reported budgets that were much smaller
than were requested in the President’s
budget. A final budget number will not be
ready until the budget is approved, which
may not be until the fall or winter of 2006.
In light of potentially reduced funding,
Federal Assistance personnel have
worked to determine the most effective
and equitable ways to rank projects and
distribute funds. These changes are
being incorporated into a Request For
Proposals.
Focus on Specific
Programs and
Activities
State Wildlife Grants
The review of the Wildlife Action
Plans (aka Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategies) is beginning
to wind down. In February 2006, the
National Advisory Acceptance Team
(NAAT) completed the initial review of
all 56 Plans. Of the initial submissions,
38 were approved as written and 18 were
conditionally approved. Of those that
were conditionally approved five have
been resubmitted and approved, and two
others have been resubmitted and will be
reviewed early in August. If all goes well,
the review process should be finished by
December 2006.
In the meantime, the State Wildlife
Grants program continues to mature.
Federal Assistance personnel in the
Washington Office and the Regions
continue to assist the States in their
efforts to implement the Plans. Personnel
have been involved in each of the multi-
State coordination efforts organized
by the regional associations of the
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
(AFWA). Likewise, Federal Assistance
personnel, working with the AFWA,
have been actively involved in promoting
the use of the Plans by other Federal
agencies, such as the Department of
Defense and the Natural Resources
Conservation Service and within the
Service Federal Assistance personnel
continue to provide guidance to other
programs as they work to integrate these
documents into their operations.
During April 2006, a workgroup was
formed to update the State Wildlife
Grants program guidelines. This
team, which represents the Service
and the State wildlife agencies, has
been reviewing the historic guidelines,
adapting text to represent current
situations, and drafting new guidelines to
address issues that hadn’t occurred when
the original guidelines were drafted.
State agencies had the opportunity to
discuss the draft guidelines at the “One
Year Later” meeting at NCTC during
the first week of August 2006, and the
draft text was made available on Group
Systems shortly thereafter so State
agencies could provide official input. The
final guidelines should be available by the
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’
Annual Conference in September 2006.
September 2006 11
Fiscal Year 2007 National Coastal
Wetlands Grant Program Funding
Proposals Under Consideration
The Service is currently evaluating
proposals submitted for funding from the
National Coastal Wetlands Conservation
grant program for fiscal year 2007.
The proposals are reviewed by a panel
of Service personnel and this group’s
funding recommendations are forwarded
on to the Director for consideration.
The program’s awards are expected to
be announced in early December after
the final receipts into the Sport Fish
Restoration and Boating Trust Fund are
determined for fiscal year 2006.
The Service estimates that approximately
$16 million will be available for proposals
in fiscal year 2007. Thirty-three proposals
from 14 States requesting a total of $24.1
million of Federal funding for fiscal year
2007.
Almost $208 million in awards from the
National Coastal Wetlands Conservation
grant program have been awarded since
its inception in the early 1990s. The
program is credited with the acquisition,
protection and restoration of thousands
of acres of critical coastal wetlands
habitat.
Boating Infrastructure Grant Program
Improvements Continue
The Service continues to refine and
improve the administration of the
Boating Infrastructure Grant program.
Several notable changes were made
to the program in fiscal year 2006 as
the Service implemented program
improvements recommended by the
Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership
Council. Some of these improvements
included delaying the initial deadline
for proposals to October 31 in order
to allow boating interests more time
to prepare proposals and to remove
some of the pressure of proposal
preparation during the peak boating
season. The Service released Tier 1
funds much earlier in this grant cycle
than in previous years. Specifically, the
Service released the funds to States as
proposals were received, rather than
waiting until the announcement of the
Tier 2 awards. Additionally, Service staff
and members of the Sport Fishing and
Boating Partnership Council’s Boating
Infrastructure Grant Program committee
met jointly to review and rank Tier 2
proposals for the first time since the
program’s inception. The joint ranking of
proposals resulted in improved efficiency
in the proposal selection process, while
increasing the partnership between the
Service and its stakeholders.
The Service intends to continue to refine
the program in the coming year and to
implement additional recommendations
made by the Sport Fishing and Boating
Partnership Council. The Service is
accepting proposals for the fiscal year
2007 grant cycle through October 31.
Other program highlights for fiscal year
2006 included awarding $3.7 million
of Tier 1 funds to 38 States, including
$100,000 which was awarded to the
Arizona for its first ever participation
in the program. The Service received
30 proposals requesting a total of $21.5
million for the Tier 2 funds in fiscal year
2006. The Service was able to award
$8,280,596 in Tier 2 awards this fiscal
year. Funding for the program increased
approximately $3 million this fiscal year
as a result of the funding changes passed
by Congress in the Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity
Act (P.L. 109-059). The Tier 2 proposals
receiving funding included:
Alabama: The Decatur Riverwalk
Marina Transient Facilities, the City of
Decatur and the Riverwalk Marina, LLC,
will receive $236,127 and match $327,117
to construct a total of 20 transient boat
slips for boaters using Wheeler Reservoir
on the Tennessee River.
California: The Camp Emerald Bay
Improvements on Santa Catalina Island
will receive $445,000 and match $523,500
to construct a floating dock and dinghy
dock.
Marina Del Rey, The Harbor Real
Estate Group, The Boatyard and
several cooperators will receive $825,000
and match $2,235,000 to modernize a
dilapidated fuel dock to a state-of-the-art
facility.
The Pier 38 Maritime Recreation Center
in San Francisco will receive $1,500,000
and match $2,714,890 to construct a
fuel dock and additional floating docks
for transient boaters. The project is
estimated to double the amount of
transient dockage available in the local
area.
The Westpoint Marina and Boat Yard
in Redwood City will receive $693,153
and match $693,153 to construct new
floating docks with utilities providing
accommodations for up to 48 transient
boats. This will improve facilities for
transient boaters in the South San
Francisco Bay area.
Maine: Camden Harbor Wharf
Renovation will receive $300,000 and
match $900,605 to repair a fuel dock
wharf area and fund one-time dredging
and the installation of 20 new transient
slips.
Maryland: The Baltimore Inner Harbor
Marine Center will receive $1,080,577
and match $1,124,683 to reconstruct the
existing marina to provide 92 slips for
transient boats.
12 September 2006
New Jersey: The Key Harbor Transient
Facilities in Waretown will receive
$321,582 and match $172,105 to construct
twelve transient slips with amenities
through the installation of a bulkhead.
Key Harbor Marina is centrally located
to Long Beach Island and Tuckerton
Seaport.
The Sandy Hook Bay Marina Transient
Facilities in Borough of Highlands will
receive $611,664 and match $611,661 to
construct 32 transient slips by relocating
the marina entrance and provide utilities
for these sites.
New York: The Eagle Creek Marina in
Kendall will receive $245,741 and match
$267,765 to construct 24 new transient
slips with utilities, add new restrooms,
and install an updated sewage system
and fuel dock for transient boaters at the
Eagle Creek Marina.
Oregon: The Gleason Transient Tie-up
and Wave Wall will receive $820,800 and
match $461,700 to protect and improve
the existing moorage for transient
boaters at the M. James Gleason Boat
Ramp, a major boating site on the
Columbia River.
The Maple Street Transient Tie-up in
Florence will receive $480,000 and match
$370,000 to replace the aging transient
docks located in the historic waterfront
of Old Town. Approximately 270 feet of
new concrete floats will be constructed to
provide transient boaters access to this
popular area.
The Sandy Beach on Government Island
in the Columbia River will receive
$544,000 and match $316,000 to complete
the development of the Sandy Beach
boat-only access.
Texas: Port Lavaca will receive $176,452
and match $75,623 to construct new boat
slips for transient boaters. Specifically,
the project will add 200 linear feet with 6
fingers to provide 12 new boats slips with
electrical and water hookups.
Clean Vessel Act Grant Program
Being Evaluated
Service Director Dale Hall has
charged the Sport Fishing and Boating
Partnership Council to complete an
assessment of the Clean Vessel Act
Grant program. The review began over
the summer and is expected to last
approximately 1 year. The review will
be similar to the Council’s assessment
of the Boating Infrastructure Grant
program which was completed in
2005. Some of the items to be assessed
include the program’s funding practices.
Boating stakeholders on the Council had
expressed an interest and willingness to
assess the program, which has been in
existence since the early 1990s. Congress
reauthorized the program as part of the
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act (P.L. 109-059).
The program is credited with improving
the water quality in many parts of the
country and program participants have
installed thousands of sewage pumpout
stations throughout the country. In
addition, program participants have
purchased hundreds of sewage pumpout
boats and States’ educational programs
inform thousands of individuals each year
about proper sewage disposal.
The Service awarded $12.26 million to
32 States from the 2006 Clean Vessel
Act grant program for fiscal year 2006
earlier this summer. The Service received
42 proposals from 32 States requesting
a total of $18.1 million of Federal funds
from the Clean Vessel Act program in
fiscal year 2006. The Service awarded all
available funds to grant recipients.
A summary of the awards and recipients
include:
Alabama- $255,604- The State plans
to install 24 sewage pumpout stations
and purchase 2 sewage pumpout boats
for its inland and coastal waters. These
facilities and boats are planned for use
on areas such as the Dog River, Mobile
Bay, Wheeler Lake and Lake Martin.
In addition, the State plans to continue
its efforts to inform boaters about the
importance of proper sewage disposal.
Arkansas- $79,600- The State plans to
install 4 new sewage pumpout facilities
and purchase 3 sewage pumpout boats.
These facilities are planned for Greer’s
Ferry Lake, Table Rock Lake, Lake
Ouachita, Bull Shoals Lake, and Lake
Norfork. In addition, the State will
continue with its efforts to inform boaters
about the importance of proper sewage
disposal.
Arizona- $105,683- The State will
renovate the 1 public pumpout station on
Lake Havasu and install a new pumpout
facility at Lake Pleasant.
California- $1,383,895- The State plans
to construct sewage pumpout facilities
and floating restrooms, as well as
purchase 4 sewage pumpout boats with
its program awards. These facilities and
boats are planned throughout the State
in its inland and coastal waters. The State
will also continue its educational program
for recreational boaters.
Connecticut- $988,652- The State plans
to construct 2 sewage pumpout stations
and purchase 2 sewage pumpout boats.
In addition, the State will continue its
education program for recreational
boaters and also assist with the operation
and maintenance of approximately 40
September 2006 13
sewage pumpout facilities and 15 sewage
pumpout boats throughout the State’s
coastal areas.
Delaware- $157,700- The State plans
to construct 6 sewage pumpout stations
for the coastal areas and to continue
its education program for recreational
boaters.
Georgia- $27,969- The State plans to
assist with the development of a sewage
pumpout facility at Trade Winds marina
on Strom Thurmond Lake.
Florida- $1,335,570- The State plans to
construct sewage pumpout facilities in
both its coastal and inland waters, as well
as continuing its education program to
inform boaters about the importance of
proper sewage disposal. The majority of
the award ($1,000,000) will be used in the
State’s coastal waters.
Hawaii- $1,000,000- The State plans to
develop sewage pumpout facilities at Port
Allen and Maalaea Small Boat Harbors
and to continue its educational program
for recreational boaters.
Idaho- $49,851- The State plans to
develop a new sewage pumpout facility at
Priest Lake near the city of Coolin.
Illinois- $50,000- The State plans to
construct up to 5 sewage pumpout
facilities at private marinas in its inland
waters.
Indiana- $104,458- The State plans to
construct 4 sewage pumpout stations
throughout the State and to continue
its education program for recreational
boaters. Two of the new stations are
proposed for either the Ohio River or
Lake Michigan waters.
Kentucky- $74,377- The State plans
to construct up to 4 sewage pumpout
stations and continue its education
program to inform recreational boaters
about the importance of proper sewage
disposal. The State plans to put 2 new
pumpout facilities on Herrington Lake
and at Craig’s Creek on the Ohio River.
Louisiana- $333,000- The State plans to
develop as many as 7 sewage pumpout
facilities throughout the State. These
include 6 in coastal areas and 1 in inland
waters. The State will continue its
education with recreational boaters.
Maine- $294,920- The State plans
to construct as many as 10 sewage
pumpout stations at private and public
marinas and to provide operation and
maintenance funds for pumpout stations
previously installed with Clean Vessel
Act program funds. The State will also
continue its efforts to educate boaters
about the importance of proper sewage
disposal.
Maryland- $655,000- The State plans to
install 17 new sewage pumpout stations
and replace or upgrade 12 existing
facilities in coastal waters. Additionally,
the State will continue its education
program for recreational boaters and will
also provide operations and maintenance
funds for facilities previously installed
with Clean Vessel Act program funds.
Massachusetts- $1,000,000- The State
plans to renovate or install new sewage
pumpout stations at 10 facilities along
the coast including in Plum Island Sound
and Salem Sound. Grant funds will also
be used to replace up to 7 motors on
sewage pumpout boats. The State will
also continue its education program for
recreational boaters.
Michigan- $200,000- The State plans to
install as many as 10 sewage pumpout
stations at private marinas throughout
the Great Lakes. Additionally the State
plans to continue its educational program
for recreational boaters.
Minnesota- $29,206- The State plans to
install a new sewage pumpout station
on the St. Croix River in Washington
County.
Missouri- $36,000- The State plans to
install 3 new sewage pumpout facilities
throughout the State and to continue
its effort to inform recreational boaters
about the importance of proper sewage
disposal.
Nevada- $16,452- The State plans to
assist with the installation of a new
sewage pumpout facility at the Las Vegas
Boat Harbor on Lake Mead.
New Hampshire- $131,175- The State
plans to install 2 new sewage pumpout
facilities including one at either Lake
Winnipesaukee or Lake Sunapee, as well
as providing operation and maintenance
funding for other facilities installed
previously with program funds. The State
will also continue its educational program
for recreational boaters.
Ohio- $173,224- The State plans to install
2 new sewage pumpout facilities. One is
planned for the Chagrin River near the
town of Eastlake and 1 is planned for a
marina on Lake Erie near Cleveland.
The State will also continue its efforts to
educate boaters about the importance of
proper sewage disposal.
Oklahoma- $17,784- The State will
install a new pumpout facility at Lake
Murray.
Oregon- $393,160- The State plans to
install as many as 15 sewage pumpout
stations and one floating restroom
throughout the State’s coastal and inland
waters. The State also plans to continue
its efforts to educate boaters about the
importance of proper sewage disposal.
Rhode Island- $384,000- The State
plans to install 21 new sewage pumpout
facilities and purchase a sewage pumpout
boat. The State will also continue its
educational program for recreational
boaters.
Tennessee- $239,011- The State plans
to install sewage pumpout stations
primarily in the Mississippi, Tennessee
and Cumberland River systems
throughout the State. In addition, the
State will continue its efforts to educate
boaters about the importance of proper
sewage disposal.
Texas- $771,351- The State will construct
6 sanitary pumpout facilities for
recreational boating at coastal marina
facilities, renovate 6 existing restrooms,
construct 4 new restrooms located
adjacent to coastal public boat ramps
and continue a boater education program
regarding waste disposal. In addition,
the State plans to pursue partnerships
with local governments and other State
agencies to provide pumpout facilities
where there are already water-based
recreation opportunities such as parks,
marinas or boat ramps
Utah- $105,000- The State plans to
assist with the replacement of a sewage
pumpout station at Cedar Springs
Marina on Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
Virginia- $928,125- The State plans to
install 28 sewage pumpout stations, 1
floating restroom and purchase 1 sewage
pumpout boat for its inland and coastal
waters. Additionally, the State will
continue its efforts to educate boaters
about the importance of proper disposal
of their sewage.
Washington- $1,000,000- The State
plans to install sewage pumpout facilities
throughout the State on its inland and
coastal waters. In addition, the State
will continue its educational program for
recreational boaters.
14 September 2006
Wisconsin- $45,000- The State plans to
install 3 sewage pumpout facilities on
inland waters and the Great Lakes with
the program awards.
The Service will announce the request for
funding proposals for the fiscal year 2007
grant cycle later this year. Proposals will
be due in early 2007.
State Audits
The Division of Federal Assistance
is required to audit each State entity
participating in the Sports Fish and
Wildlife Restoration programs 2 of every
5 years. To conduct the audits, we have
contracted with the Department of the
Interior, Office of Inspector General.
Currently, there are 7 entities being
audited in 6 States. The 6 States that are
now in the fieldwork stage of audits are:
n Georgia
n Maine
n Maryland
n Missouri
n North Dakota
n South Carolina
We expect the audits to be completed on
time by the end of the fiscal year.
The next 5-year cycle of State audits will
begin October 2006. We will continue
working with the Department of the
Interior, Office of Inspector General for
audit services.
The Division strives to maintain
open lines of communication between
the auditors, grantees, and Federal
Assistance offices. All comments and
suggestions on our audit program are
welcome. Our experiences and the
feedback from the audits continue to be
very positive, and we look forward to
our continued partnership with all of our
stakeholders. For additional information
on this issue, please contact Ord
Bargerstock.
FAIMS/FBMS
The Federal Assistance Information
Management System (FAIMS) is used
by the Service to manage the complete
life cycle of over half a billion dollars in
grants annually. FAIMS was scheduled
to be replaced by the Department of
Interior’s planned Financial Business
Management System (FBMS) in Fiscal
Year 2007. Problems encountered
have lead to selection of a new system
integrator and further delays in
deployment. Implementation of the
FBMS in the Fish and Wildlife Service is
now scheduled for Fiscal Year 2010.
Required upgrades to modernize FAIMS
infrastructure have been completed
in order to facilitate continued vendor
support and increase system security.
The system is now being subjected to
a lengthy multistep security analysis
process required for renewal of the
system’s Certification and Accreditation.
Luther Zachary, Chief Branch of
FAIMS Support, has been designated as
System Manager. The designation was
formerly held by Lori Bennett, Chief of
Information Management.
Work continues on:
1. Refinement of internal controls for
FAIMS maintenance, testing and
operations.
2. Refinements to the FAIMS Land
module required to increase ease of
use and eliminate bugs.
3. Improvements to various aspects of
system security.
September 2006 15
Multistate Conservation Grant Program
Multistate Conservation Grants
are awarded cooperatively with the
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
(AFWA). These grants support products
and solve high priority problems affecting
States on a regional or national basis and
allow for efficient use of limited resources
to address the national conservation
needs of States established through the
AFWA. Examples below highlight the
broad array of projects supported by
Multistate Conservation grants. To learn
more about all projects funded and the
benefits derived from the Multistate
Conservation Grant Program, please visit
http://faims.fws.gov.
Western Native Trout Initiative
The basic objective of this grant
is to speed the implementation of
conservation, management and
information needs of native Western
trout. With few exceptions, native trout
populations have declined across the
West, usually due to habitat alteration
and introduced species that result in
predation, competition, or hybridization.
Because the native Western trout
species occupy a number of watersheds,
a broad scale conservation strategy will
be necessary to achieve the objective.
These watersheds often span a number
of jurisdictions, therefore, a cooperative
joint venture strategy involving Federal,
State, tribal and local governments,
conservation and recreational
organizations, private landowners
and individual citizens to produce a
management plan will be necessary. At
project completion this grant will provide
for improved coordination, and a unified
approach to conservation by the partners
to improve the status of populations and
habitats of Western native trout. The
end result will be improved recreational
opportunities for anglers across the
Western States.
International Instream Flow
Program Initiative
The majority of State and Provincial fish
and wildlife agencies have historically
managed fisheries for the most part by
regulation, stocking, and physical habitat
management and restoration. While
these strategies are integral parts of
fisheries management, the greatest gains
in fish management in the future will
occur as result of protecting, restoring,
and managing water for aquatic habitats.
The comments of 4 State fish and wildlife
agency fishery chiefs in the March
2005 issue of Bass Times magazine
support this fact as do conclusions of
the National Fish Habitat Initiative,
and the American Fisheries Society
workshop in Milwaukee, that identified
securing adequate instream flow and
water volumes as one of the 10 greatest
challenges to fish habitat.
The overall goal of this project is to
enhance fish habitat at State/Provincial,
regional, and national levels by
identifying water management trends
and opportunities that will help State
and Provincial fishery and wildlife
management agencies develop, maintain,
or improve their instream flow and water
management programs and effectiveness.
Regardless of the present level of
instream flow and water management
expertise within any one agency’s
organization, this project will provide a
clear awareness of where their program
has been, what their capabilities are
today, and what opportunities exist for
improving their programs. By integrating
the input of instream flow experts from
all States and Provinces, the project will
allow participating agencies to develop
strategies and solutions that reflect the
unique opportunities that may exist at
State/Provincial, regional, and national
levels.
Sage-Grouse Interstate Working
Group Coordinator
The objective of this grant is to
continue funding a full-time position
to coordinate and facilitate interstate
conservation planning, inventory,
research, and management actions
to conserve sage-grouse populations
range wide. The sage-grouse range
covers millions of acres in 11 Western
States and 2 Canadian Provinces.
Population declines and loss of range
have prompted concern for the species
by the Western Association of Fish
and Wildlife Agencies, Bureau of Land
Management, U.S. Forest Service and
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In
July 2000 these agencies developed
a National Framework Team, as part
of an interagency Memorandum of
Understanding, to guide and coordinate
the species’ conservation. This proposal
will help provide the staffing necessary
to implement the provisions of the MOU.
An anticipated outcome will be the
production of a coordinated, cooperative
strategy for advancing conservation and
preservation of sage-grouse and their
range.
Greater sage grouse. USFWS
16 September 2006
The National Federal Assistance
Training Program
The National Federal Assistance
Training Program, located at the
National Conservation Training Center
in Shepherdstown, WV, is part of the
Washington Office of Federal Assistance.
The training program develops and
delivers grants management training
for Federal Assistance staff and State
fish and wildlife agency grantees. These
training courses increase the knowledge,
skills and abilities of State and Federal
personnel who manage Federal
assistance grants. This training helps
to ensure that Federal assistance grant
managers consistently apply the laws,
rules, and policies that govern Federal
assistance program administration.
Since 1996, almost 1,800 State and
Federal assistance grant managers and
grantees have received training through
courses and workshops developed by, or
offered in cooperation with, the Federal
Assistance Training Program.
Training offered includes: Basic Grants
Management Course, Project Leaders
Course, Federal Assistance Audit
Training, Grant Writing Workshop,
Compliance Issues Workshop, and
GroupSystems Leader Training.
Online training modules covering an
introduction to Federal assistance
grant programs and processes and a
familiarization to the Federal Assistance
Toolkit are also available on the Federal
Assistance Training Program Web site.
An advanced grant management course
covering fiscal, programmatic, and
compliance issues is scheduled as a pilot
course for October 2006.
Course descriptions, an on-line
application, an on-line training request
form, training materials, and other grant
manager’s resources are available on the
Federal Assistance Training Program
web site at: http://training.fws.gov/
fedaid/.
For additional information contact Steve
Leggans at the National Conservation
Training Center at 304/876-7927.
National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and
Wildlife-Associated Recreation
The Census Bureau successfully
completed the first wave of data collection
for the 2006 FHWAR Survey on June
3. The second wave will be conducted in
September and October 2006, and the
third, and last, in January and February
2007.
The first wave included screening
interviews of U.S. households to identify
a sample of 31,500 sportspersons
(anglers and hunters) and 24,300 wildlife
watchers (observers, photographers,
and feeders). It also included the first
detailed interviews of sample persons
who had already participated in wildlife-related
recreation in 2006. They were
asked questions about their activities and
expenditures.
Over 1,000 Census interviewers
contacted 85,000 households for
the Screening Interviews and got a
remarkable 89% response rate! Most
data were collected by computer-assisted
telephone interviews. However, in-person
interviews were conducted when
individuals could not be reached by
phone.
The Census Bureau also successfully
completed the first wave of interviews
in 3 States (Ohio, Missouri, and
Washington) for a Side-by-Side Test
to determine the feasibility of using
State license databases as a sample
source for future surveys. The same
sportsperson questionnaire, time frame,
and protocols—except for the sample
source—were used for both the regular
survey and the test sample. These
data will be analyzed to determine the
comparability of the test results with the
regular survey results. The analysis will
be completed in April 2007.
The 2006 survey will be the 11th
conducted since 1955. The Service has
coordinated the survey every 5 years
at the request of State fish and wildlife
agencies. The survey will be similar in
content, scope, and methodology to those
conducted in 1991, 1996, and 2001 so their
estimates will be comparable.
The 2006 survey will generate
information identified as priority data
needed by the States, non-governmental
organizations, and other major survey
users. General categories of information
collected include the number of
participants in different types of fish and
wildlife recreational activities, the extent
of participation (days and trips), and
related trip and equipment expenditures.
The 2006 survey is funded by Multistate
Conservation grants from the Wildlife
and Sport Fish Restoration programs.
Products will include preliminary
reports, a final national and 50 State
reports, database CDs, and quick facts
brochures. All data and reports will
be available on the Fish and Wildlife
Service’s Web site.
A preliminary report with national
information will be issued June 2007
and one with State data July 2007. A
final national report will be available
in October 2007, and State reports will
be available on a flow basis starting in
November.
The Service also produces analytical
reports based on survey data. Addenda to
the 2001 survey include the following 10
reports: Birding in the United States:
A Demographic and Economic Analysis;
2001 National and State Economic
Impacts of Wildlife Watching; Net
Economic Values for Wildlife-Related
Recreation in 2001; Participation
and Expenditure Patterns of African-
American, Hispanic, and Female
Hunters and Anglers; Fishing and
Hunting 1991-2001: Avid, Casual, and
Intermediate Participation Trends;
Deer Hunting in the United States: An
Analysis of Hunter Demographics and
Behavior; The Relationship between
Wildlife Watchers, Hunters, and
Anglers; Private and Public Land Use
by Hunters; and Economic Impact of
Waterfowl Hunting in the United States.
Copies of survey reports are available
on request or are accessible through the
following Web site: http://federalaid.fws.
gov. For more information you also may
contact the Service’s survey staff.
September 2006 17
Special Highlight
Mountain-Prairie Region
18 September 2006
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mountain-Prairie Region is composed
of the great States of Colorado, Kansas,
Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
The habitats and fish and wildlife that
use those habitats are as diverse as
the Region’s landscape. Rivers, lakes,
mountains, prairies, desert, and more can
be found in our great Region.
In fiscal year 2006, Region 6 Division
of Federal Assistance provided
approximately $81,356,627 in Federally
apportioned funds to our Region’s State
fish and game departments to support
hunting, angling, and non-consumptive
wildlife user programs. We’re proud of
the work we are doing and invite you
to take a look at some of our Region’s
highlights in this program update. Better
yet, we invite everyone to visit our States
to enjoy some of the best fish and wildlife
experiences our country has to offer.
Mountain-Prairie
Region
(CO, KS, MT, NE,
ND, SD, UT, WY)
State Federal Assistance Coordinator’s Annual Meeting in Saratoga, WY. Shown are
all the State FA Coordinators and Regional Federal Assistance Staff.
September 2006 19
Local working groups have been
established for each of the 12 sage-grouse
management units in Utah and
most of these groups have completed
conservation plans for their units. Utah
also participated with other States to
publish a rangewide assessment of
factors affecting the health and trend
of greater sage-grouse populations and
habitats. Utah worked with the State of
Colorado and number of Federal agencies
to develop a rangewide conservation plan
for the Gunnison sage-grouse. Members
of the Utah Partners for Conservation
and Development have agreed to share
resources in an unprecedented initiative
to conserve sagebrush ecosystems
Statewide with a special emphasis on
sage-grouse and mule deer habitats.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
has hired 5 wildlife biologists to work
throughout the State exclusively on
protection and restoration of sagebrush
and shrub-steppe habitats. In just 1
year, about 6,500 acres have undergone a
number of habitat enhancement projects,
including prescribed burns, planting
of seedlings, livestock fencing, and
sagebrush manipulation.
Under the Landowner Incentive
Program, Montana is implementing the
Sagebrush Initiative to achieve long-term
protection of 183,000 acres of privately
owned key sagebrush/grassland habitats
in Montana. The Initiative will provide
incentive payments to private landowners
to voluntarily refrain from sodbusting
and sagebrush control to allow
conservation of sage-grouse habitat.
Data collected over the long term
provide the sturdiest foundation for
basing management decisions. Utah has
been conducting range trend studies in
sagebrush and shrub-steppe habitats for
over 20 years with Wildlife Restoration
Act funds. These data provide critical
information on how species and habitats
have been affected and where to focus
key rehabilitation efforts. The data also
played an important role in determining
appropriate objective numbers for mule
deer herds and helped settle a conflict
between elk and livestock use of habitat.
Using a variety of grants in the Federal
Assistance toolbox, the Western States
are working together and individually
to conserve an invaluable part of
the heritage of the American West.
Preserving these landscapes will reduce
the risk of listing species as endangered
and will benefit the American people.
State Wildlife Grant Program a Catalyst
for Western States Partnership Effort
Sagebrush, shrub-steppe and prairie
ecosystems are a defining part of the
landscape and history of the American
West. These ecosystems are an integral
part of the richness of a diversity of
Western cultures and groups. Native
Americans, ranchers, hunters, and others
enjoy myriad recreational opportunities
and the beauty and vibrancy of the
landscape. Many sensitive wildlife species
also rely on these ecosystems: the pygmy
rabbit, black-footed ferret, prairie dogs,
sage thrasher, swift fox, lesser prairie
chicken, Swainson’s hawk, ferruginous
hawk, mountain plover, to name just a
few. The habitats in these ecosystems are
life-sustaining for many game species,
including mule deer, pronghorn antelope,
and sage grouse.
A host of factors have combined to cause
an alarming decline of the habitats of
the sagebrush and prairie ecosystems.
Human activities have contributed to
the decadent and unhealthy conditions
of these ecosystems: including land
and energy development; disruption of
normal fire cycles; improper grazing
practices, brush control, and off-road
vehicle use; and infestations of non-native
plants. A prolonged drought has
increased the severity of these effects. As
a consequence, many of the species that
depend on these habitats are becoming
stressed and are being considered for
listing under the Endangered Species
Act.
In response, Western States are working
to address threats to these ecosystems
and their species to avert the need
for Federal listing. Because these
ecosystems range over great distances
and across State borders, it benefits
the States to engage in collaborative
efforts. The State Wildlife Grant
program is helping one multi-State effort,
involving 8 Western States, to develop
and implement conservation plans to
maintain and enhance sagebrush and
shrub-steppe ecosystems with a focus
on Columbia sharp-tailed grouse and
sage-grouse species. These planning
and implementation processes are
also engaging Federal and other
State agencies, local governments,
farmers, ranchers, nongovernmental
organizations, and other partners.
The State Wildlife Grant program is also
jump starting another multi-State effort
to develop a comprehensive strategy
for conserving shrub-steppe and prairie
ecosystems across the Western Great
Plains. Twelve Western States will
work together to beef up conservation
strategies for the white-tailed and
Gunnison prairie dogs, develop State-specific
prairie dog management plans,
conduct surveys and inventories to obtain
current information on the conditions and
trends of the species and their habitats,
and encourage participation with
stakeholders and partners. The States
will also collaborate with Canada and
Mexico on mutual projects.
Colorado has completed a number of
local and rangewide species and habitat
conservation plans, management
guidelines, and a best management
practice guide. Colorado has also worked
with a private landowner to protect 560
acres of Gunnison sage-grouse habitat
with a conservation easement.
Utah has placed an emphasis on
working with local communities with
the philosophy that “If it’s not good for
communities, it’s not good for wildlife.”
Pronghorn antelope. USFWS
20 September 2006
State Wildlife Grant Program Funds
Critical Waterbird Inventory for South
Dakota
A major priority for State Wildlife
Grants funding is to help prevent future
endangered species listings. Collecting
baseline information on the status of
wildlife species is a critical step. The
South Dakota Department of Game,
Fish and Parks (SDGFP) has used State
Wildlife Grant funds to contract with
the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
(RMBO) to conduct a Statewide
inventory of 44 waterbird species and
to develop a monitoring system that
SDGFP can use in future years to track
the status of these species. The vast
majority of these species are not included
on the State or Federal lists of threatened
or endangered species. The SDGFP
hopes this project will detect potential
problems with any of these species before
they become too serious.
The project has been contracted to
RMBO because of their expertise in
developing and implementing bird
monitoring systems. Results of the work
have relevance to entities responsible for
water quality, fisheries, and streambank
and aquatic habitat protection. Of
coincidental interest is the status of
the double-crested cormorant in South
Dakota, a species that has been blamed
for game fish declines in other parts of
the upper Midwest.
The 2005 field season yielded the
following highlights: A list of 560 known
breeding sites was assembled from both
historical information and field visits; 408
of the sites were visited in 2005. Sites
with the highest number of breeding
waterbird species or populations included
Bitter Lake in Day County, Goose Lake
in Codington County, LaCreek National
Wildlife Refuge in Bennett County, and
Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge in
Brown County.
Chad Tussing, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks helps children attending the
“Catch a Rainbow” program of aquatic education learn how to fish. Photo courtesy of
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.
South Dakota
Catch a Rainbow
Catch a Rainbow is a fishing event
designed for people with disabilities in
residential facilities in Sioux Falls, South
Dakota. The 2006 Catch a Rainbow was
the 18th year of the event attracting
about 600 people in 4 days.
Prior to the swimming pool’s summer
season, the local swimming pool is
stocked with about 4,000 rainbow trout.
The trout are supplied by a South Dakota
Game, Fish & Parks (SDGFP) fish
hatchery. Each angler can catch––and
keep––up to 3 fish. The fish are then
cleaned and iced for the anglers. Many of
the participants have large fish feeds the
same evening at their facilities. SDGFP
staff, Outdoor Campus staff, and many
volunteers clean fish, haul buckets, and
assist the participants.
Aquatic education funds are used to
purchase bait, purchase and maintain
fishing equipment (which is also used for
other programs), purchase t-shirts for
volunteers, and provide staff hours at the
event.
September 2006 21
Members of the Minuteman Archery Club Range in Stoneville, South Dakota,
prior to renovation of the building for hunter education classes and simulated
hunting scenaros for students. Photo courtesy of South Dakota Game, Fish and
Parks.
Cold War Relic Benefits Archers Through
Hunter Education Program
The Minuteman Archery Club, located
near Stoneville, South Dakota, has
been working with the South Dakota
Department of Game, Fish & Parks
during the last 3 years to improve its
archery range. This range is unique as
it was formerly a Surplus Minuteman
Missile Control Facility near the Village
of Stoneville.
The Minuteman Archery Club has been
renovating the facility to accommodate its
use as an indoor archery. In 2004, the club
repaired or renovated the largest facility,
which will serve as the indoor archery
range. In 2005, renovation continued with
some sheetrocking and the purchase of
bows, compressed carpet targets, and
materials to construct a target stand and
backstop with a lighted base. In 2006, the
club is continuing renovations, building
storage shelves, purchasing 3-D range
targets, and maintaining the parking lot.
The archery range provides an
opportunity for the residents of
Stoneville and rural Meade County to
learn and practice archery skills. This
range also provides another recreational
opportunity in a remote community.
South Dakota
22 September 2006
Upper Yellowstone River
Basin Cutthroat Research ––
State Wildlife Grants
The last remaining refugia for pure
Yellowstone cutthroat trout (YSC),
under Wyoming Game and Fish
Department jurisdiction, are in the
upper Yellowstone River basin. Due to
the remote location of the Yellowstone
River upstream of Yellowstone Lake, no
systematic inventory of cutthroat trout
has been conducted. Several new threats
jeopardizing the YSC in the Yellowstone
River basin include lake trout recently
introduced into Yellowstone Lake,
whirling disease found in some
Yellowstone Lake tributaries, and the
introduction of New Zealand Mud snails
in nearby drainages. All of these threats
have the potential to negatively impact
native cutthroat trout populations in the
upper Yellowstone River watershed. The
work completed under a State Wildlife
Grant was directed toward determination
of seasonal movement patterns and
macrohabitat use of YSC within the
drainage and a basin wide survey of the
Yellowstone River upstream from the
confluence of Thorofare Creek.
To find answers to the habits of the
YSC, 152 fish were implanted with radio
transmitters to track their movement by
aerial and ground monitoring methods. A
total of 605 individual YSC locations were
documented including capture locations,
aerial telemetry locations, and ground
telemetry locations. After 2 years of
study, the fish movement was determined
to be a highly mobile spawning population
with one resident population verified to
date. One of the interesting results of the
monitoring showed that the spawning
run appears to begin quite early in the
spring––possibly when ice cover is still on
Yellowstone Lake.
Habitat site utilization was recorded for
future ground truthing and measurement
of habitat characteristics. During three
sampling trips, physical characteristics
of numerous main stem and tributary
streams were classified using the
Wyoming Habitat Assessment Method
(WHAM) and stream habitat features
measured. Level-one WHAMs were
conducted on all 11 major tributaries
in the Yellowstone River drainage
upstream from the confluence with
Thorofare Creek. Habitat features
such as stream substrate type, riparian
condition, barriers to fish migration and
upland habitat condition were recorded.
In addition, site scale and watershed
scale habitat attributes were collected
to conduct YSC presence probability
modeling. Barriers to fish movement
were located and YSC distribution was
disseminated for future entry into the
YSC Risk Assessment database.
The sampling corroborated the telemetry
findings. Very few adult YSC remain in
the upper Yellowstone River tributaries
later than July. The lack of adult YSC
present suggests that YSC inhabiting
the upper Yellowstone River tributaries
are almost entirely adfluvial. Only three
resident populations were observed.
Juvenile YSC emerge from gravels from
late June through August. The juveniles
reside in the stream for up to 3 years
before immigrating to Yellowstone Lake.
Neither New Zealand mud snails nor
Whirling Disease were found in the
Yellowstone River tributaries above the
Thorofare River.
Yellowstone cutthroat trout being fitted with radio transmitter.
Locating Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the upper Yellowstone River basin.
Wyoming
September 2006 23
Paddlefish and Others Benefit from Sport
Fish Restoration Program
The Missouri River Ecology Project
involves long-term monitoring and
research of fish populations and
their habitats in unchannelized and
channelized reaches of the Missouri
River bordering Nebraska. This project
has resulted in a large, long-term data
base that is used to develop management
recommendations by the Nebraska Game
and Parks Commission to fulfill its public
trust responsibilities. This database
has also been used to develop statistical
models relating biotic responses to
variables such as discharge, temperature,
and turbidity from Ft. Randall Dam,
South Dakota downstream to Rulo,
Nebraska. Results suggest that more
natural flow, temperature, and turbidity
regimes would benefit native fish and
invertebrate species in the Missouri
River. These results will also be used
in the adaptive management process
adopted by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service for recovery of the Missouri
River.
Paddlefish population data from this
study has been incorporated into the
Mississippi Interstate Cooperative
Resource Association’s multi-State,
multi-jurisdictional paddlefish study
completed in 2005. The study assessed
the condition of paddlefish stocks in the
lower Missouri River Basin. This project
also provided the data necessary for the
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
and the South Dakota Department of
Game, Fish and Parks to jointly manage
a sport harvest season for paddlefish in
a reach of Missouri River below Gavins
Point Dam. Results from this study
were used to recommend a protective
slot length limit and a harvest quota
for sustainable management of this
population.
Soon to be released are the results of a
Missouri River public use assessment
survey completed through a cooperative
effort between the Missouri Department
of Conservation and the Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission. This
public use survey was conducted on the
Missouri River from Gavins Point Dam
downstream 811 miles to the mouth of the
Missouri at St. Louis, Missouri. This is
the largest recreational user survey ever
attempted in the Midwest. This study
will not only provide information on the
number of users and their activities, but
will also measure the economic value that
public users place on this resource using
the Travel Cost and Contingent Value
methodologies. This social-economic
information is vital in any attempt to
develop long-term management plans for
the Missouri River.
Historically the Missouri River was one
of the most dynamic large rivers in North
America. This is one of many projects
along the Missouri River corridor
underway by the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission and various partners.
Paddlefish captured with seines, as part of a multi-state, multi-juridictional study of
the lower Missouri River, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Photo courtesy
of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Nebraska
24 September 2006
Wildlife Restoration Section 10 Funds
Assist in Improving Access to Shooting
Sports in Nebraska
Developed in 2004, the Nebraska
Shooting Range Grant Assistance
Program has been instrumental in
providing needed funds to Nebraska
shooting ranges. The bulk of the shooting
range support for Nebraska hunters
comes from club-style ranges that rely
on volunteer labor and donations to
maintain viability. The addition of Hunter
Education Section 10 funds has been
instrumental in enhancing Statewide
public access to safe and family friendly
range facilities. The range facilities
also provide hunter education students
a place to practice and improve their
shooting skills. Since the inception of the
program 20 projects have been funded
with $333,547 and include firearm and
archery ranges. Funded activities include
construction of trap and skeet houses,
berms, outdoor lights, range sidewalks,
overhead baffles, education classrooms,
equipment storage, and archery ranges.
Funding has also assisted in purchasing
associated equipment and includes 3-D
archery targets, bows, target arrows, and
skeet throwers.
In the community of Doniphan, the range
program assisted with the Nebraska
State Trap Association to renovate 24
trap houses and trap throwers at the
Doniphan Trap Range. The range is host
to the State Trap Shooting Championship
competition that included 1,700 student
competitors in 2006. A new trap house
with thrower was constructed in the
town of Cody to allow students to
practice their shotgun shooting skill.
Over 30 percent of the high school and
junior high students are involved in
the Nebraska State Trap Association
competitive trap program that takes
place in Doniphan. New and renovated
archery ranges were constructed at
Ponca State Park, Lower Big Blue
Natural Resource District, and the City
of Lincoln. Other communities receiving
funds for shooting range improvements
include Kearney, Crawford, Mitchell,
Omaha, Fremont, York, Grand Island,
Fremont, Crete, Papillion, and Jefferson
County. As a result of the program,
citizens in Nebraska are finding more
opportunities to participate in shooting
sports activities.
Nebraska Landowner Incentive
Program Tallgrass Prairie Restoration
The tallgrass prairie, a critically
imperiled ecosystem, is home to the
Federally threatened western prairie-fringed
orchid and vulnerable species
such as the Iowa skipper, Otto skipper,
regal fritillary, and massasauga
rattlesnake. Historically, habitat
conversion to cropland has been the
greatest threat to this ecosystem.
However, degradation of remaining
prairies due to inadequate management
practices and invasive plants now takes
precedence.
Nebraska is using the Landowner
Incentive Program (LIP) to connect
with private landowners in order to
rejuvenate unbroken tallgrass prairies
and guide ecologically and economically
sustainable management. The promoted
tools for tallgrass prairie management
include intensive prescribed grazing,
extensive periods of rest from grazing,
and prescribed burning. Appropriate
management is encouraged through
landowner seminars, personal
consultations, and cost-share projects
that support a diversity of native plant
and wildlife habitats.
Hunters of all ages can practice and improved their archery skills on ranges
constructed in natural settings. Photo courtesy of Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission.
Nebraska
September 2006 25
The removal of non-native cedar trees and other woody vegetation from native
grasslands in Nebraska, is allowing these grasslands to be restored and provide
significant habitat for wildlife. Photo courtesy of Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission.
Through LIP, positive collaborations have
developed between project coordinators
and landowners. Those efforts have
resulted in on-the-ground rare species
habitat projects and respectful dialogue
concerning rare species conservation.
LIP cost-share projects have directly
impacted nearly 10,000 acres of Nebraska
tallgrass prairie through prescribed
burning, invasive tree removal, and
improved grazing management. To
date, 45 cost-share projects have
been completed and 160 landowners
have received personal consultations
concerning rare species and sustainable
tallgrass management on their
properties.
Nebraska’s State Wildlife Grant
Program Efforts Receive National
Award for Scientific Excellence
In the Spring of 2006, the Nebraska
Natural Heritage Program, funded with
State Wildlife Grant Program funds,
received the National Award for Scientific
Excellence for its role in developing the
scientific methodology and data products
used in the Nebraska Natural Legacy
Project. The program was selected for
special recognition by NatureServe,
the nonprofit conservation group that
coordinated an international network
of 80 similar natural heritage programs
across the United States, Canada, and
Latin America.
The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project
is the first comprehensive plan ever
developed for wildlife and plants in
Nebraska. This planning effort was
guided by a 20-member partnership
team that included leaders from the
conservation and agricultural community,
nongovernmental organizations, and
the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska. The
partnership team represented many of
the entities and individuals that likely
would be involved with implementing the
blueprint developed. Four informational
meetings were held in each of 4
ecoregions across the State: Tallgrass
Prairie, Mixed grass prairie, Shortgrass
Prairie, and Sandhills. Information
gathered at 16 public meetings was
incorporated into the Legacy Plan.
Nebraska
26 September 2006
Salt Creek Tiger Beetle. USFWS
A service botanist looks after an endangered Western Prairie Fringed Orchid in
Nebraska. Fringed orchids are found in tallgrass prairies, most often in moist
habitats or sedge meadows, and require direct sunlight for growth. They persist in
areas disturbed by light grazing, burning, or mowing. Western Prairie Fringed
Orchids are known from northeastern Oklahoma, as well as locations in Kansas,
Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota. The greatest threat to the
species is conversion of tallgrass prairie to other land uses. Hollingsworth/USFWS
Within the four ecoregions, biologically
unique landscapes (BUL) were identified
that offer some of the best opportunities
for conserving the full array of biological
diversity in Nebraska. After approval of
the conservation strategy, the Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission moved
forward with additional public meetings
within BULs where infrastructure is
in place to begin cooperative projects.
Projects within the tallgrass prairie
include the Sandstone Prairies BUL,
Verdigre-Bazille Watershed BUL,
Loess Canyons BUL, and Central
Loess Hills BUL which are in various
stages of planning, development, and
implementation. Within the Sandstone
Prairies BUL and Verdigre-Bazille
Watershed BUL, cooperative projects
are underway in cooperation with
Natural Resources Conservation Service,
University of Nebraska at Lincoln
extension offices, Farm Service Agency,
Nature Conservancy, Natural Resource
Districts, and various other partners.
The initial 20-member partnership
team has determined the group will
remain intact and continue to promote
integration of the Legacy Plan in
activities across the State. Current
projects undertaken by the Nebraska
Game and Parks, focused by the Legacy
Plan, include Salt Creek Tiger Beetle
research and saline wetland restoration;
American Burying Beetle research and
land acquisition; Massasauga research;
and Landowner Incentive Program
private land restoration projects in the
Tallgrass, Shortgrass, and Mixed Grass
areas.
Nebraska
September 2006 27
In 2002, Montana began receiving
funding from the USFWS to address
species with unmet conservation needs
through State Wildlife Grants (SWG).
These funds support conservation
projects for species of greatest
conservation need, meaning those for
which biological information is lacking,
whose populations are in decline, or
that are at risk for decline. Through
this program, Montana has been
able to begin to address a number of
fisheries and wildlife conservation
needs that otherwise would have
gone unmet. The “Native Prairie
Fish Survey and Inventory” and the
“Statewide Small Mammal Survey
and Inventory” constitute 2 important
projects undertaken by Montana Fish,
Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) with State
Wildlife Grants funds. These projects
are consistent with Montana’s recently
approved Comprehensive Wildlife
Conservation Strategy.
State Wildlife Grant Program Assist
Essential Native Fish Survey and
Inventory
An analysis of Montana Fish, Wildlife
and Park’s (MFWP) Montana River
Information System (MRIS) database
in 2002 revealed that more than 4,200
streams comprising more than 18,000
stream miles (18 percent of the mapped
stream miles in Montana) had never been
surveyed. The overwhelming majority
of these waters are small warm-water
prairie streams located in the eastern
half of the State. Although these streams
offer little or no potential as a sport
fishery, there is a strong likelihood that
many of them contain intact, diverse
assemblages of native fish, reptiles and
amphibian species, at least during parts
of the year. A need existed to survey
these prairie streams to gain a greater
understanding of the fisheries and fauna
that occur there. This baseline data would
be critical in enabling resource managers
to better understand and manage prairie
species and their habitats.
Since then, SWG funding has been used
to survey hundreds of never-before-surveyed
prairie streams and riparian
habitat in Montana’s prairie region. The
third year of surveys was completed in
2005 when 515 sites were visited. Forty-three
percent of the sites sampled were
on private property. The remaining
sites were located on State of Montana,
Bureau of Land Management (BLM),
United States Fish and Wildlife Service,
or National Forest Service lands. Of the
515 sites, 285 were dry and 230 had water.
Fish were sampled at 170 of the wet sites
and no fish were found at the remaining
60 streams.
During 2005 surveys, 62,148 individual
fish representing 41 different species
were documented. Twenty-five of the
species are native to Montana and
the remaining 16 are introduced. The
common carp was the most commonly
encountered introduced fish (35 sites)
followed by the black bullhead (23 sites)
and green sunfish (21) sites. The fathead
minnow was the most highly distributed
fish, being sampled in 129 sites or 76
percent of the locations. The mean
number of fish species per site was 4.8
with the range numbering between 1 and
17 species per site. The most abundant
species sampled was the fathead minnow,
accounting for 36.3 percent of all fish
sampled. The brook stickleback and
plains minnow were the next most
abundant species, making up 7.26 percent
and 7.13 percent of the individuals
sampled, respectively.
Stream teams seining a prairie stream in eastern Montana.
Photo courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
A black bullhead captured during
seining of prairie streams in Montana.
Photo courtesy of Montana Fish,
Wildlife and Parks.
Montana
28 September 2006
Montana Region 4’s Teton River had 17
fish species documented which was the
largest number of fish species found at
a single site. The greatest number of
individual fish recorded at a single site
was 5,722 at Region 4’s Horse Thief
Coulee. Arrow Creek followed with 3,840
individual fish, consisting of 14 species.
Thirty-five of the streams contained
500 or more fish. Forty-seven percent
of the sites had 5 or more species of
fish, while the remaining 53 percent
contained 4 or fewer species. Thirty-three
sites contained only one species
of fish including the fathead minnow at
42 percent of the sites and the brook
stickleback at 12 percent of the sites.
State Wildlife Grant Funds Benefiting
Shrews, Voles and Jumping Mouse
Small mammals, including shrew,
voles, and mice, are some of the least
understood species groups in Montana.
While Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks
(MFWP) and other agencies conducted
prior surveys, a thorough and concerted
effort was needed to survey these species
across Montana’s broad spectrum of
habitats. In 2004, MFWP initiated a
3-year inventory project to provide a
current assessment of the occurrence,
status, and distribution of small mammals
across the State.
Focusing on areas that had received little
historic sampling effort, three survey
crews targeted MFWP lands while
conducting stratified random sampling of
habitats on surrounding lands. Sampling
priority was given to those areas and
habitats with little to no historical
information on the small mammal
community. Trapping lines were the
primary survey technique with additional
supplemental observations and surveys
providing data on other species groups
including bats, amphibians, reptiles, and
birds.
Crews started in eastern Montana and
will finish surveying the western portion
of the State this summer. With half of
the 2006 season completed, crews have
documented 27 of the 32 small mammal
species known to occur in Montana and
Northern Short-tailed shrew. Photo
courtesy of Phil Myers, University of
Michigan
expect more to be added before the
season concludes. Highlights include
a new species, the first documented
occurrence of the Northern Short-tailed
shrew in northeastern Montana; data
from 20 Arctic Shrews across 3 locations,
a species previously only recorded at
one location; significant records for the
following Montana Species of Concern
–– Sagebrush vole, Merriam’s shrew,
Pygmy shrew, Hayden’s shrew, and
Meadow jumping mouse. The project
has generated data on 5,010 individual
captures and 2,100 miscellaneous
observations of 240 species. These data
are a great resource for future species
distribution updates, baseline habitat
associations, Species of Concern status
reviews, and habitat conservation efforts.
Bull River/Lake Creek Habitat
Conservation Plan Acquisition
In 1996, Plum Creek Timber Company
(PCTC) began evaluating its land
holdings along rivers, wetlands and
streams in northwestern Montana
and has since classified some of these
holdings as “Higher and Better Use”
lands––or lands that have higher real
estate value than they do for timber
production. Montana Fish, Wildlife
& Parks (MFWP), along with other
agencies and organizations, have since
worked cooperatively with PCTC to
conserve the most critical of these lands
and to keep these valuable resources in
public ownership. One such parcel, known
as the Bull River/Lake Creek complex,
was identified by MFWP as its highest
priority for 2004 Habitat Conservation
Plan Land Acquisition (HCPLA) Grant
funding.
Prior to this, the State of Montana had
identified the Bull River as core bull
trout habitat and a priority watershed
for protection and restoration of
west-slope cutthroat trout, a “species
of special concern.” The State also
established a long-term goal to protect
and restore existing bull trout and west-slope
cutthroat trout populations and
associated habitats in the Bull River and
Lake Creek watersheds.
A view of the Bull River & Lake Creek Habitat Conservation Acquisition from the
Plum Creek Timber Company by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, using U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species grant funds. The Division of Federal
Assistance administers and manages these grant awards in coordination with the
Division of Ecological Services. Photo courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Montana
September 2006 29
In February of 2005, through a combined
effort involving MFWP, USFWS,
PCTC, the Avista Corporation and The
Conservation Fund, over 1,800 acres of
critical habitat within the Bull River/
Lake Creek Complex were transferred
to MFWP creating what is now the
Bull River Wildlife Management Area.
The site includes 1,285 acres that were
acquired with proceeds from a Habitat
Conservation Plan Land Acquisition
awarded to MFWP, along with a 40-
acre fee-title and 561-acre conservation
easement donation by the Avista
Corporation.
Tim Bodurtha, Supervisor in the USFWS
office in Kalispell, Montana, captured
the significance of the accomplishment:
“The creation of the Bull River Wildlife
Management Area is a great example of
how the HCP Land Acquisition Grant
Program has worked in Montana.
Through the efforts of a dedicated and
diverse group of partners, we have
conserved one of the most wildlife-rich
areas in the Bull River Valley for future
generations.”
Landowner Incentive Program and
State Wildlife Grant Program benefits
Tribal Conservation Efforts
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has
awarded competitive grants to 19 Tribes
in Region 6 totaling $7,741,319, since
2003. There have been 24 Tribal Wildlife
Grants (TWG – $4.9 million in Federal
funds and $1.4 million in matching
tribal funds) and 20 Tribal Landowner
Incentive Program (TLIP – $2.8 million
in Federal funds and $1.2 million in
matching tribal funds) awarded.
These competitive grants are used for
a variety of projects including: wildlife
surveys, inventories and associated
projects for mammals and furbearers,
black-footed ferrets, swift fox, grizzly
bears, wolves, and sage-grouse;
landowner stream restoration projects
for riparian and wetland creation and
restoration, noxious weed control
and prairie vegetation restoration;
development of comprehensive fish and
wildlife management plans, including
land use plans for native and endangered
species; acquisition of lands for wetland
and riparian restoration to benefit native
fish and grizzly bear habitat; and various
riverine endangered species habitat
developments and implementation of
management plans for fish and wildlife.
Two examples of completed grant
proposals:
The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe in South
Dakota was awarded a grant to restore
10 wetlands totaling 40 acres and to
create 10 wetlands totaling 60 acres on
the Lower Brule Reservation in South
Dakota. Creation and restoration of
wetland habitat will benefit high priority
species identified in the North American
Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA).
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai
Tribes of the Flathead Nation in Montana
were awarded a grant to study habitat
suitability for the possible reintroduction
of the Columbia sharp-tailed grouse,
an animal of high cultural significance
to the tribes. A strong native grassland
component still exists even though
much of the study area is impacted
by cheatgrass, spotted knapweed and
grazing. Overall, exotic species were
present at low percentages. The study
found that winter and nesting habitat
are spatially segregated and that only 5
percent of the study area contains winter
habitat. Overall, the study showed a very
limited amount of area currently suitable
for the grouse. The study identified
changes in current management
practices, such as fencing of riparian
zones from cattle use. The results of
the study will be used to increase the
probability of successful reintroduction
of the Columbia sharp-tailed grouse.
Sharp-tailed grouse. Bob Hines/USFWS
Montana
30 September 2006
Sport Fish Restoration Program
Improves Fishing Access
The Colorado Division of Wildlife
established the “Fishing Is Fun”
program almost 20 years ago to create
local partnerships for the improvement
of angling throughout Colorado. Since
then, the Fishing Is Fun (FIF) program
has funded more than 200 angling
improvement projects at rivers, streams,
ponds and lakes utilizing Sport Fish
Restoration Program funds and local
matching dollars. Local match has
averaged about 45 percent of total project
costs over the years, nearly doubling
the impact of Sport Fish Restoration
Program funds.
An example of FIF’s success lies in the
Town of the Silverthorne which is located
about 60 miles west of Denver and is
a gateway to many diverse mountain
recreation opportunities. The Blue River,
a “Colorado Gold Medal Fishery,” flows
through Silverthorne. It is noted for its
year-round fishing opportunities and
scenic beauty. As a result, it receives
heavy fishing pressure and other impacts
associated with human use. To address
this, the town applied to the Fishing
Is Fun program in 2004 for $120,000 to
improve fish habitat and angling access
along a three-quarter-mile stretch of the
river.
The town completed the project in
September 2005. Habitat improvements
included the installation of boulder
habitat clusters, shrub pockets, and
instream riffle/pool/glide sequences.
Angler access points were installed
along 3,000 feet of the access trail. These
improvements now allow anglers to move
beyond the upper section of the Blue
River in Silverthorne, reducing crowding
and dispersing angling pressure on the
river. It also provides anglers and others
with access to a scenic stretch of river
in an urban setting. As a local outdoor
writer described it, the project gave
“one of the most gorgeous rivers in all of
Colorado... a fishing-friendly face-lift” for
the benefit of all.
The Colorado Aquatic Animal Health
Program - Federal Aid Sport Fish
Restoration
The Colorado Division of Wildlife
(CDOW) Aquatic Animal Health
Program assists in the protection,
conservation, and management of
Colorado’s aquatic animal resources
through the monitoring, investigation,
and management of aquatic animal
health in State fish hatcheries, research
facilities, free-ranging public fisheries
and free-ranging aquatic animal
populations. CDOW also provides
diagnostics, research, regulated pathogen
inspections, and laboratory analysis for
aquatic animal resources in the private
sector. Aquatic animal health services
and management are an essential and
integral part of agency efforts to protect,
enhance, and restore Colorado’s aquatic
resources. Maintaining or improving
aquatic animal health helps insure the
stability of many populations, enable
the recovery of others, and improve the
quality of Colorado’s wildlife resources.
Using Federal Aid in Sport Fish
Restoration Act funds, the CDOW
Aquatic Animal Health Program
conducts the following aquatic resource
health activities:
n All agency fish health services
including diagnostics, regulated
pathogen inspections, and extension
services to CDOW’s 23 fish culture
facilities and 17 subunits, the State’s
wild fisheries, and more than 35
licensed commercial aquaculture
facilities (licensed under the
Department of Agriculture) across the
State of Colorado.
n All fish pathogen analyses, molecular
probes, and expertise for CDOW
fishery researchers, as well as,
independent fish health investigation
and research.
n Support and leadership in the
formulation of fish disease
management plans, policies, and
regulations to effectively protect
Colorado’s wildlife resources.
n Monitor and ensure regulatory
compliance with fish health
regulations.
Riverine restoration on the Blue River in Silverthorne, Colorado.
Photo courtesy of Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Colorado
September 2006 31
Colorado Combines LIP and SWG
Funds to Benefit Plovers, Owls, Eagles
and Frogs
The CDOW Aquatic Animal Health
Program consists of seven permanent
employees operating from laboratories
and headquarters in Brush, Colorado.
The unit serves Colorado’s free-ranging
fishery resources, as well as public and
private fish culture. Our staff works
on some 300 fish health cases a year,
including regulated salmonid disease
inspections, diagnostics, fish health
surveys, research analysis, and forensics.
In addition, biologists from the unit
provide guidance in setting fish health
regulations and policies and provide
input on the issuance and enforcement of
Aquatic Species Importation Licenses,
Aquaculture Permits, and related
permits. Special projects include a
Statewide survey of Aquatic Nuisance
Species and regular monitoring of
hatchery fish quality.
Wineinger-Davis Ranch,
Lincoln County, Colorado –
LIP and SWG in Colorado
The Colorado Division of Wildlife
(CDOW) acquired a conservation
easement of over 11,240 acres of native
shortgrass prairie and riparian habitat in
Southeastern Colorado. These habitats
and associated wildlife have declined due
to impacts from conversion of prairie to
agricultural, commercial, and residential
housing development. The easement
will provide permanent protection of
shortgrass prairie habitat and associated
Colorado wildlife species of concern,
while agricultural operations continue
on the Wineinger-Davis Ranch. Species
which will benefit include mountain
plovers, Plains leopard frogs, burrowing
owls, swift fox, Massasauga snakes,
ferruginous hawks, and bald eagles.
The Wineinger-Davis family applied
for the conservation easement through
the Colorado Species Conservation
Partnership Program (CSCP) established
by the CDOW. CSCP funding is derived
through Great Outdoors Colorado
lottery proceeds, Landowner Incentive
Program funding, State Wildlife Grant
funding, and landowner match. The
CSCP engages in cooperative efforts to
prevent the further decline of Colorado’s
wildlife species of concern, meet species
conservation goals of declining species in
the State, reduce the necessity of listing
of species under the Endangered Species
Act, and to down-list or delist threatened
and endangered species.
A view of the Wineinger-Davis Ranch Conservation Easement in southeastern Colorado.
Photo courtesy of Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Colorado
32 September 2006
Sport Fish Restoration Funds Improve
Local Access Sites and Fisheries
Community Fisheries Assistance
Program (CFAP)
Prior to 2005, the Kansas Department of
Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) conducted
surveys that indicated more than 25
percent of the State’s anglers preferred
to fish in small impoundments. The
survey also showed that approximately
120 communities in the State operated
about 220 bodies of water for public
fishing access. Nearly half of these
waters, however, required a local fee for
fishing in addition to the purchase of a
Kansas State Fishing License. Many
locations also required a fee for boating,
general access, or both. To remedy this,
the KDWP introduced the Community
Fisheries Assistance Program (CFAP) in
2005 to increase access to quality fishing
opportunities across Kansas.
CFAP is an ongoing program which
partners with cities, counties, and public
entities to enhance recreational fishing
opportunities and aquatic resources
by leasing the angling rights. The
program targets community lakes
because of their popularity with anglers
and the convenience of fishing close to
home. Many community lakes provide
fishing opportunities to urban residents
and rural anglers, while serving all
socioeconomic groups.
As smaller impoundments were generally
constructed for purposes other than
fishing, local participation also includes
KDWP assistance with fisheries
management, supplemental stockings,
and angling facilities to further enhance
fishing access and success. CFAP
participants receive an annual lease
payment; 75 percent of which must be
spent to operate and maintain the fishery
for anglers. This helped to eliminate local
permit fees on approximately 90 percent
of the waters targeted by CFAP in 2005.
To date, 115 communities have enrolled
203 lakes in the program totaling over
12,000 acres of water. Participating
communities were contacted at the end of
2005 for their evaluation of the program.
Nearly half of the program participants
reported increased number of anglers.
Overall satisfaction with the program
was rated as good to excellent, as was
the effectiveness of the program in
increasing opportunities for anglers.
Program costs totaled approximately $1
million for 2005 with local contributions
totaling $267,556 and Federal Aid in
Sport Fish Restoration funds amounting
to $802,669 making this program
100 percent reimbursable with no
out-of-pocket expense to the State.
Communities involved with CFAP have
shown a true financial dedication to
fisheries management and have helped
create successful partnerships between
Federal, State, and local governments
while increasing fishing access and
opportunity in Kansas.
Studying Distribution and Status of
Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles in
Kansas
For a number of years, biologists at
the Kansas Department of Wildlife and
Parks (KDWP) recognized a need for
a study of the State’s herpetofauna.
Herps are poorly understood compared
with other vertebrate groups in the
State. Relatively few studies have been
conducted on the status of amphibians,
Community Fisheries Assistance locations in Kansas.
reptiles, and turtles in Kansas and the
protection of prairie herpetofauna has
not received much attention. Fortunately,
Congress authorized the State Wildlife
Grants (SWG) program in 2001 and
appropriated money for State fish and
game agencies to focus on “species of
greatest conservation need.” Given this
opportunity, the KDWP began a project
in 2003 to study the distribution and
status of herpetofauna in Kansas.
Using SWG funds, the KDWP contracted
with a State university to survey these
important species for future research and
conservation efforts. The study extended
Statewide and focused on 5 objectives:
1) the identification of new localities for
imperiled species; 2) the determination of
population status estimates for imperiled
species; 3) the characterization of habitat
preferences for imperiled species;
4) the collection and curation of tissues
of Kansas’ amphibians, reptiles, and
turtles; and 5) the construction of an
online database system to serve both
management and education users.
The project was completed in 2005.
Among the results, the survey
recorded 14,831 new occurrences of
amphibians, reptiles, and turtles in
Kansas collected from 4,046 unique
sites. Site, latitude, longitude, date,
Kansas
September 2006 33
and time of collection were recorded
for each occurrence. Approximately
23 percent of the specimens have been
preserved as museum vouchers and
the remainders are in the form of the
recorded observation described above.
The project data was combined with
previously collected data in a Geographic
Information System to characterize
each species’ general habitat. An on-line
accessible database (the Kansas Herp
Atlas; available at http://webcat.fhsu.
edu/ksfauna/herps) was created to store
all project data. The website is useful
for both general education and wildlife
management.
The survey information has given KDWP
biologists a greater understanding of
the distribution and natural history of
Kansas herpetofauna, contributing to a
long-term goal of identifying species in
“greatest need of information.” Findings
will also provide additional support for
policy directives, regulatory decisions,
and species management. The internet-based
database system will provide
instantaneous access of data by wildlife
officials, managers, and researchers.
Community Fisheries Assistance completed project with a floating fishing pier in
Kansas. Photo courtesy of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Seining for amphibians, reptiles and turtles in an intermittent flow stream in
Kansas. Photo courtesy of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Looking for signs of reproduction,
including eggs and juveniles of
amphibians, reptiles and turtles in
a sample of pooled stream water in
Kansas. Photo courtesy of Kansas
Department of Wildlife and Parks.
A group of snakes found in one location of the amphibian, reptile and turtle survey
in Kansas. Photo courtesy of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Kansas
34 September 2006
Wildlife Restoration Program Opens
125,000 Acres of Private Land to Hunters
As the population continues to become
more urban, fewer Kansas residents
have easy access to land for hunting.
In addition, there’s very little public
land in Kansas. Only 340,000 acres (or
0.6 percent) of Kansas land and water
are owned or managed by the Kansas
Department of Wildlife and Parks
(KDWP). Of these 340,000 acres, only
277,000 are open to public hunting. Of
additional concern, there is a growing
trend for landowners to lease their
properties for private hunting, which
further reduces available public access
for urban residents. This shortage of
hunting access has been identified as the
major factor in the decline in hunting,
and consequently, hunting license sales.
The KDWP established the Walk-In-
Hunting Access Program (WIHA) to
address public hunting access. Since its
inception in 1994, WIHA has proven to
be very successful. Annually, over 2,000
landowners have enrolled more than 1
million acres in 101 of the State’s 105
counties for the fall WIHA season; during
the spring turkey portion of the program,
more than 125,000 acres in 60 counties
have been leased. Landowner response
continues to exceed expectations for
both fall WIHA and spring turkey
hunting access properties. As response
has increased, the type of habitat cover
enrolled continues to diversify. Waterfowl
feeding areas, rangeland, and riparian
areas are becoming available and readily
utilized by constituents.
As part of the program, approximately
130,000 atlases are produced annually
for the fall season and an additional
35,000 copies are printed for the spring
turkey season. The atlases show the
location of the tracts and the regulations
that apply to each area. An atlas index
lists the major game species likely to be
encountered on each tract which enables
hunters to select the areas according to
their hunting preferences. Atlases are
also available to constituents over the
KDWP Web site in downloadable and
printable formats.
A young hunter in the walk-in hunting area brings home a turkey. Photo courtesy of
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Juveniles hunting pheasant with their dog, display the results of their hunting
success on private land. Their hunting experience was made possible through the
Kansas Hunting Access to Private Land, through the use of Wildlife Restoration Act
funds. Photo courtesy of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Kansas
September 2006 35
Hunter Education Funds Warm Up
North Dakota Winters
When the Minot Rifle and Pistol Club
purchased a 120-acre parcel of land for
an outdoor shooting range, they dreamed
of one day building an indoor state-of-the-
art 25-meter gun range. The winter
climate on the plains of North Dakota
allows use of the outdoor range for only a
few months of the year, while the addition
of an indoor range would provide year-round
enjoyment.
With the help of a grant from the North
Dakota Game and Fish Department
under the Wildlife Restoration Act, this
group of 500 shooting enthusiasts rallied
their forces and built their dream. The
indoor shooting range facility has a
classroom, an Action Target backstop
that will handle most calibers, and is
set up to facilitate use by folks with
disabilities. This collaboration has
provided a safe, functional, and suitable
structure to shoot firearms for many
generations to come.
State Wildlife Grant Program Helps
with Pelican Mystery
The white pelicans of Chase Lake are
disappearing by the thousands and no
one knows why. Over 4 days in May
of 2004, the number of white pelicans
at the lake dropped from 27,000 to 80,
and thousands of eggs and chicks were
left unattended and dying. In 2005,
18,000 adult pelicans returned to Chase
Lake for nesting. Everything seemed
to have returned to normal until July,
when dead white pelican chicks were
discovered — 8,000 at last count — and
the adults again abandoned the area.
State Wildlife Grants are being used
to help unravel this mystery, as well as
to gather basic data on white pelican
behavior. Understanding why these birds
are disappearing is important to us all,
because the health of wildlife can be an
early indicator of disease and pollution
that affect us all.
Boating Access––
Come Drought or High Water
Tourism and recreation is North Dakota’s
second largest industry. Fishing and
boating are an integral and important
part of everyday life. Although North
Dakota’s population has remained
relatively stable, fishing license sales
and boat registration numbers are up
significantly. As a result, excitement
and participation in fishing and boating
have surged and the sporting public is
demanding the development of additional
facilities to help meet those needs.
The North Dakota Game and Fish
Department continues to coordinate and
work with local interests in developing
and upgrading a wide variety of boating
and fishing related facilities at more
than 250 recreation lakes throughout
the State. The Department’s “Fisheries
Development Out-Grant Program”
has proven to be an effective system
in administering Federal Aid from the
Sport Fish Restoration Program to
local communities. Through cooperative
efforts with local partners, the
department provides more than a million
dollars annually to construct, upgrade
and maintain facilities.
The success of this cost-share program
is due largely to the involvement and
cooperation of the local communities
who volunteer thousands of hours
and work diligently to raise matching
funds to construct and maintain these
facilities. Many of the fishing waters
are surrounded by private lands, and
landowners almost always donate the
land necessary for development of the
boating access and recreation site. In
recent years, the department has faced
the challenge of providing access to
drought-stricken waters in one part
of the State while, at the same time,
combating record high water levels in
other parts.
Golden Eagles Benefit from State
Wildlife Grant Program
The status of golden eagles in North
Dakota is unclear, but many eagle nests
in the State do not have eagles living
in them. A U.S. Forest Service study
of factors that might negatively affect
nesting golden eagles on the grasslands
was expanded with State Wildlife Grant
money to include surrounding lands,
making this the first comprehensive
study on the subject. Information from
this research project will allow biologists
to determine the status of golden eagles
and make informed wildlife management
decisions, allowing the most cost-effective
path to golden eagle conservation.
Dakota Waters Boating Access in North
Dakota. Photo courtesy of North Dakota
Game and Fish Department.
North Dakota
Golden eagle. USFWS
36 September 2006
Section 6 Funds Preserve a Unique
Corner of the World in Utah
In the southwestern corner of Utah,
three unique ecoystems, the Mojave
Desert, the Great Basin, and the
Colorado Plateau, merge to provide a
biologically rich and unique mixture
of wildlife and vegetation in a setting
of spectacular red desert and rock
formations. Combine that with year-round
sunshine and outstanding
recreational opportunities and you
get the second fastest growing
city in the country––St. George. In
1996, Washington County and local
communities recognized the need to
preserve the natural resources that
attract so many people to the area
while allowing planned development.
Working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, the communities produced
the Washington County Habitat
Conservation Plan and created the Red
Cliffs Desert Reserve, a 62,000-acre
scenic wildlife reserve set aside to protect
the Federally threatened desert tortoise
and other rare and sensitive plants and
animals. Just a tiny representation of
the diversity of the animals found in this
Reserve includes the kit fox, mule deer,
gila monster, chuckwalla, bald eagle,
and Virgin River chub. The Reserve
also supports habitat for the Federally
listed southwestern willow flycatcher and
Mexican spotted owl.
Utah, working in collaboration with
the States of Nevada, Arizona, and
California, identified other key habitats
outside the Reserve that need protection.
The unprecedented growth in the area
has caused land prices to skyrocket, so
Utah tapped into a grant program under
the Endangered Species Act to help
supplement the Reserve with fee title
acquisitions and conservation easements
protecting another 1,350 acres of habitat.
Desert tortoise habitat at the Red Desert Reserve, Utah. USFWS
Desert tortoise on the Red Desert Reserve
in Utah. USFWS
Utah
September 2006 37
Landowner Incentive Program Funds
Assist with Conserving Ranching and
Sagebrush Habitat
The Selman Ranch property, located in
the foothills of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains,
consists of 6,722 acres of sagebrush
grasslands and old growth Douglas‑fir
forest. It provides important habitat
for Columbian sharp-tailed grouse,
Bonneville cutthroat trout, northern
goshawks, at least 5 species of bats, and
several migratory bird species. The
property also provides 4,300 acres of
crucial winter habitat for mule deer and
elk. A conservation easement has been
established with the landowner to protect
in perpetuity the significant agricultural,
natural, and open space values of this
property.
In an unusual twist, the Utah Department
of Agriculture, rather than the State
wildlife agency, is holding the conservation
easement. Grazing and pasturing of
livestock will continue on the ranch, using
best management practices to maintain
or improve habitat conditions. Pesticides
will be allowed to control noxious weeds
that compete against both agricultural
crops and native vegetation. This
innovative approach marks the beginning
of integrated ranch land protection and
conservation in this part of Utah for the
benefit of a variety of wildlife resources.
Pinyon-juniper control in Utah’s Basin Range. Photo courtesy of UDWR.
Aerial seeding in Utah’s Basin Range. Photo courtesy of UDWR.
Utah
38 September 2006
Sensitive Species Program Implemented
with State Wildlife Grant Program
Funds
State Wildlife Grants in Utah are being
used to conserve wildlife and vital natural
areas by restoring habitat, monitoring
and managing wildlife, and improving
stewardship on both public and private
lands. Five biologists, hired with State
Wildlife Grant funds, participate in
wildlife rehabilitation programs and
research projects that will assist in
providing cost-effective solutions to
management questions. The biologists
are also testing for West Nile Virus and
other diseases. This project is allowing us
to identify and prevent problems before
they threaten wildlife, and because
wildlife health can be an early indicator
of disease and pollution that can affect
humans as well.
Managing Dixie harrow habitat. DWR
Pygmy rabbit.
Utah
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Division of Federal Assistance
http://www.fws.gov